- Title: Japan commemorates 74th anniversary of World War 2 surrender at Yasukuni Shrine
- Date: 15th August 2019
- Summary: RIGHT WING GROUP HOLDING BANNERS AND SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM
- Embargoed: 29th August 2019 06:45
- Keywords: World War 2 anniversary Yasukuni Shrine Tokyo Japan
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA002ASBUBEV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Japanese people visited Yasukuni Shrine to offer their prayers for war dead on Thursday (August 15) to commemorate the 74th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War 2.
Kou Yoshioka, a 21-year old college student visiting from Nara Prefecture, said he came to the shrine for the first time to pay respect to his great grandfather who died in the war.
Shrine visitors released about 100 doves to symbolize peace; an event held annually on the anniversary of the surrender.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also sent a ritual offering but refrained from visiting in person amid tense ties with South Korea.
Dozens of Japanese lawmakers also visited the shrine to offer their prayers. Past visits by Japanese leaders to Yasukuni have outraged South Korea and China because the shrine honours 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals.
(Production: Yasuteru Uedam, Akiko Okamoto) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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