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The Mainichi
a day ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
What is the controversy surrounding Japan's Yasukuni shrine?
Amid calls that Self-Defense Force members be honored at Tokyo's Yasukuni Jinja shrine if they die in war, some have questioned the legitimacy of such a move in light of the Japanese Constitution, which stipulates the separation of religion and state. The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about the controversial shrine where Class-A war criminals are enshrined. Question: What kind of place is Yasukuni shrine? Answer: Located in Kudankita in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, Yasukuni shrine's origin goes back to the "Tokyo Shokonsha" (Tokyo soul-inviting shrine) founded in 1869 to honor the pro-imperial loyalists of the Meiji Restoration and government soldiers who died in the Boshin War in the late 19th century. It was renamed Yasukuni Jinja in 1879. Approximately 2,466,000 people who died in conflicts including the First Sino-Japanese War in the 1890s and the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, as well as the Pacific War in the 1940s are collectively enshrined there as "eirei" (heroic spirits of the war dead). Q: What does it mean to collectively enshrine eirei? A: Eirei is an honorific term for the spirits of those who died in war. At Yasukuni shrine, the names of the war dead are written in a registry called a "reijibo" (spirit ledger), and through a formal ritual, the multiple spirits are enshrined collectively. Q: Who are enshrined there? A: The shrine primarily enshrines military personnel and civilian military employees, but it also includes mobilized nurses, student workers killed in air raids on military factories and conscripted Koreans, on the grounds that they "participated in combat under military orders." Because they are enshrined regardless of the wishes of the individuals or their families, some bereaved relatives object. Q: What is the controversy about? A: Before and during World War II, Yasukuni shrine was closely tied to militarism and was used to encourage the public to support the war. Many soldiers died, saying to each other, "I'll see you again at Yasukuni," as their final words before charging into the enemy lines. The major point of controversy is the enshrinement in 1978 of 14 Class-A war criminals, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who were held responsible for planning and directing the war. Q: Visits by Japanese politicians often make the news too, right? A: Yes. Since then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's official visit in 1985, prime ministers' visits to Yasukuni shrine have frequently triggered diplomatic issues. China and South Korea criticize the visits, calling Yasukuni a "symbol of militarism" and accusing Japan of taking a wrong stance on historical issues. In Japan, too, such visits have been brought to court as violations of the separation of religion and state. Q: There was talk about establishing an alternative memorial facility. How's that going? A: Yasukuni shrine became a religious corporation after WWII. It maintains that "once a spirit is enshrined, it cannot be removed," and does not allow the separation of Class-A war criminals. In response to the backlash -- both at home and abroad -- over then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's 2001 visit, a private advisory panel for the chief Cabinet secretary suggested the need to create a "permanent, secular, national memorial facility." Due to opposing views, however, the debate over this matter faded and remains stalled to this day.
The Mainichi
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
30% of Japan religious corps say Unification Church dissolution order hits freedom of faith
TOKYO -- Some 30% of major religious corporations responding to a Mainichi Shimbun survey believe that a court order for the Unification Church to dissolve will affect freedom of religion guaranteed under the Japanese Constitution, while nearly 80% of responding groups appreciate the order. The survey results brought into sharp relief the fact that major religious corporations understand the propriety of the dissolution order but harbor a certain degree of concern over political intervention in religion. The survey was conducted in April targeting 62 religious corporations and federations with a claimed followership of 100,000 or more in Japan according to the 2024 edition of the almanac of religion released by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The Mainichi sent out the questionnaire asking for their views on the dissolution order against the Unification Church in multiple-choice answer and free description styles, and received responses from 19 religious corporations. The Japanese Association of Religious Organizations and the Nichiren Shoshu provided their own views as corporations without answering the set questions. Regarding the dissolution order issued by the Tokyo District Court against the Unification Church, formally the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, 15 groups responded that they either "appreciate" or "somewhat appreciate" the court order. Many of those respondents cited the high amount of financial damage incurred by Unification Church followers as the group solicited massive donations, as well as the large number of such victims, as their reasons for selecting those answers. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan responded, "While the freedom for people to believe in religion should be respected, illegal and malicious acts in the name of religion must not be tolerated." Tenrikyo stated, "For an organization to have the status of a religious corporation, it is required to be worthy of such a title." Meanwhile, two groups respectively opted for answers stating they "do not appreciate" and "rather do not appreciate" the court's disbandment order, while another two corporations didn't respond. Oyamanezunomikoto Shinji Kyokai, a religious group established after World War II, chose the answer "rather do not appreciate" the court order, calling it "a strong measure that significantly interferes with activities that religion has made its mission in history, such as missionary work and spiritual relief." It said, "The illegal acts (under the Civil Code) alone cannot suffice as the basis for the dissolution order." Once the disbandment order is finalized, the Unification Church will need to liquidate its property and become ineligible for tax breaks, while being allowed to continue activities as a voluntary organization. When asked what effects the dissolution order, with its strong efficacy, will have on freedom of religion, six corporations answered that either there will be effects or a certain degree of effects. Happy Science noted, "It could allow the government to arbitrarily suppress religious groups. We should be careful about depriving people of freedom of religion by strengthening state authority and intervening in religion." Meanwhile, 10 groups said either there will be no effect or little to no effect on freedom of religion, while another three gave no answer. Bussho Gonenkai Kyodan pointed out, "We infer that freedom of religion is guaranteed unless there are acts including those clearly recognized to significantly harm public welfare." Myoshinji Temple, of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, stated, "While freedom of religion is the right of the people, it does not mean they can do anything while acting against public welfare. It cannot necessarily be said that the dissolution order infringes on freedom of religion." In October 2023 the education and culture minister requested a disbandment order against the Unification Church from the Tokyo District Court. The court ordered the church to dissolve based on the Religious Corporations Act on March 25, 2025. The church on April 7 filed an immediate appeal against the ruling with the Tokyo High Court.
