Society

China, S.Korea slam Yasukuni visits by ministers

Aug 16 (NHK) - China has strongly protested an offering made by Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and Sunday's visits by his Cabinet members. Japan marks the end of World War Two on August 15.

Yasukuni Shrine honors Japan's war dead. Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War Two.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying issued a statement on Sunday, saying that the Chinese side has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side through diplomatic channels to register strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.

The statement says China urges Japan to earnestly honor its commitment of facing up to and reflecting on its history of aggression, tread carefully on historical issues such as Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions.

South Korea's foreign ministry spokesperson said in a written commentary, "The government voices deep disappointment and regret over Japanese leaders repeating the sending of offerings and visits to Yasukuni Shrine that beautifies Japan's past war of aggression and enshrines war criminals."

The statement urges "responsible people in Japan to show with action their humble soul-searching and genuine reflection on history, while pointing out that only when based on such attitude, will Japan be able to build future-oriented relations with South Korea and gain trust from other neighbors".

The ministry summoned an executive of the Japanese embassy in Seoul to lodge a protest after Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo visited the shrine on Friday.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.