Der Yasukuni-Schrein in Tōkyō

Abstract

The Yasukuni-Shrine in the centre of Tōkyō, not far from the Imperial Palace, is again and again the focus of international attention. China and Korea are particularly touchy about Japanese political leaders, prominent amongst them Prime Ministers as the key figures, paying their respects to the War Dead at a site considered as a symbol of Japanese nationalism and militarism. These visits are taken as tokens of Japan's unwillingness to honestly deal with its past. This paper provides a background to the history of the Shrine, its political implications, questions related to war and guilt and aims to give insights into Japanese views.