Latest news with #warMemorial
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Japanese minister visits controversial shrine to mark end of World War II
A Japanese cabinet minister was among thousands of people to visit a controversial war memorial in Tokyo as Japan marks 80 years since the end of World War II. Agricultural Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Friday paid his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past. He was joined by dozens of national and local politicians from the far-right 'Japan First' Sanseito Party, according to local media. The Shinto shrine was built in the 19th century to honour Japan's war dead, but it is best known for enshrining 14 Japanese 'class A' war criminals and 1,000 others also found guilty by an Allied tribunal after World War II. The Yasukuni Shrine is considered a political lightning rod in East Asia, where memories of Japan's wartime atrocities are not forgotten, but senior Japanese leaders have continued to visit over the years. But the shrine was just one site where Japanese people gathered on Friday to mark 80 years since Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender in an August 15, 1945, radio broadcast. Tokyo formally surrendered a few weeks later on September 2, 1945. Japanese media reported that more than 4,000 people attended the National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead in Tokyo, including Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Ishiba spoke at the commemoration about the lessons Japan carried from the war. 'We should never repeat the devastation of war. We will never, ever make a mistake in choosing the path to take,' Ishiba said, according to Kyodo News. Ishiba also spoke of Japan's 'remorse' over the war, marking the first time a Japanese prime minister used the term in more than a decade at a war memorial, the news outlet said. Japan famously adopted a pacifist constitution after World War II, but wounds linger from decades of Japanese colonial rule in parts of Asia that lasted from 1895 to 1945. The prime minister stopped short of directly mentioning Japan's wartime aggression and the suffering it caused, a precedent set by past Japanese leaders, Kyodo said. Japan's Emperor Naruhito also attended the event, where he said he was 'overcome with deep emotion' at Japan's transformation since the end of World War II. 'It is my sincere hope that we carry on passing down the stories of the hardships endured during and after the war and continue in unity of spirit to seek peace and the happiness of the people in the future,' he said, according to Japanese media. Japan last week also marked 80 years since the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 people.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- BBC News
Bedfordshire police recover suspicious device from town river
People have been asked to avoid an area after a suspicious device was recovered from a Police said it was called to The Embankment, in Bedford, to deal with the device.A spokesperson for the force said: "Rothsay Road is closed at the junction with Waterloo Road, and we would ask the public to please avoid the area whilst the incident is being dealt with."A 100m (328ft) cordon was put in place near to the war memorial while officers awaited a specialist team from the explosive ordnance disposal unit. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
National Post
28-06-2025
- National Post
Man, 46, charged in National Holocaust Monument vandalism
A 46-year-old man faces a number of charges after the National Holocaust Memorial was vandalized with red paint on June 9. Article content Iain Aspenlieder has been charged with mischief to a war monument, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct. Article content Article content He appeared in court on Saturday for a bail hearing. A decision is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2. Article content The monument, located at 1918 Chaudière Crossing, was sprayed with the words 'FEED ME' in large block letters on the side adjacent to Wellington Street. Red paint was also sprayed along the building's facade. Article content The monument was opened in 2017 and commemorates the extermination of six million Jews who were killed in the Second World War. Article content Article content In 2014, the Criminal Code was amended to add the charge of mischief to a war memorial. Article content The definition applies to a property 'that primarily serves as a monument to honour persons who were killed or died as a consequence of a war, including a war memorial or cenotaph, or an object associated with honouring or remembering those persons that is located in or on the grounds of such a building or structure, or a cemetery.' If the offence is prosecuted by indictment, it is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. If the offence is punishable on summary conviction, it may lead to a sentence of up to 18 months. Article content The Ottawa police hate and bias crime unit is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information to contact their tip line at 613-236-1222, extension 5625. Article content 'The OPS treats incidents of this nature seriously and recognizes their profound impact on the community,' said Ottawa police in a statement. Article content
BBC News
06-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
School unveils war memorial for former pupils killed in wars
A new war memorial dedicated to former pupils killed in combat has been unveiled at a Devon School. The memorial at Plymouth College remembers the almost 200 former pupils who died in conflicts dating back to World War One. After 32 years in the Royal Marines, former pupil Jason Cox, who is now the college's health and safety officer, came up with the said one of the reasons he wanted to create the memorial was to honour his former classmate who was killed in Iraq in 2003. Founded in 1887, the school lost 112 pupils in the First World War and 68 in the Second World other names have been added, including former pupil Maj Jason Ward, who was killed when the US helicopter he was travelling in crashed in the Iraqi desert in 2003. Mr Ward was a pupil at the college at the same time as Mr Cox and they both joined the Royal Marines in to BBC Radio Devon, Mr Cox said: "That's one of the reasons why I've taken this to heart because of Jason."He added: "The wonderful thing is his mother is travelling with his brother down from Barnstaple to attend the ceremony, so she's going to be our guest of honour." Mr Cox said he had the idea for the memorial after seeing that the boards in the school, which showed former pupils who had been killed in combat, were looking "old and faded"."It was only going to be a small granite block with possibly a brass plaque on it with some appropriate wording," he said."It sort of morphed into something a lot larger and a lot bigger and the headmaster decided to include all of the names of all the pupils to put on the plaque." Speaking about the names of the fallen solders from the First World War, Mr Cox said all of the people were "local lads"."If you could imagine 112 lads being taken away from the local community and never seen again - it must have been quite devastating for the city," he said.A ceremony to unveil the memorial attended by members of government and the armed forces was held at the school on Friday.
