Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, Japan's controversial war memorial, faced another act of vandalism overnight Monday. Graffiti in Chinese reading "toilet" was discovered on a stone pillar near the shrine's entrance. The Shinto shrine condemned the incident, stating, "It is deplorable that an act seeking to denigrate the shrine's dignity has happened again."
While the police and shrine officials did not disclose details due to an ongoing investigation, this incident follows a previous defacement in May, for which a Chinese suspect was detained in July. The maximum penalty for such property damage in Japan stands at three years in prison and a 300,000 yen ($2,000) fine.
Yasukuni Shrine holds the remains of 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including convicted World War II war criminals, making it a symbol of militarism for many Asian nations affected by Japanese aggression. On August 15, the anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender, Japanese politicians, including Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, paid respects. However, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who will not seek reelection next month, did not visit but sent an offering. Notably, Emperor Naruhito and his late father, Akihito, have refrained from visiting the shrine. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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