JAPAN-YASUKUNI FESTIVAL Tokyo shrine holds annual festival to commemorate the spirits of Japan's war dead

Record ID: 147413

  • Title: JAPAN-YASUKUNI FESTIVAL Tokyo shrine holds annual festival to commemorate the spirits of Japan's war dead
  • Date: 14th July 2015
  • Summary: JAPANESE LANTERNS WITH A SIGN READING "MITAMA FESTIVAL" IN JAPANESE VARIOUS OF JAPANESE LANTERNS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 21-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT, KEI NEMOTO, SAYING: "It's originally a festival to honor the spirit of the war dead, but I don't think about that and I came here to have fun." VARIOUS OF LANTERNS LINING STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 39-YEAR-OLD COMPANY EM
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAGELZQKUA7F5DP2BU5NUXLNOX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING
    Hundreds of people visited Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday (July 14) to attend the 69th Mitama festival honouring the spirits of Japan's war dead, as the country also commemorates the 70th anniversary since World War Two.
    The Tokyo shrine specifically honours soldiers and wartime leaders, including those convicted as war criminals by an Allied Tribunal.
    Visitors, including dozens of overseas visitors, took photos and enjoyed the sight of brightly lit Japanese lanterns, which glowed in yellow and orange shades. Multiple performances, including Bon-Odori, a traditional Japanese dance to honor the spirits of ancestors, also took place.
    The four-day annual festival has become increasingly popular in recent years, causing the shrine to ban food stands - typical of summer festivals in Japan - due to overcrowding and lack of space.
    Some visitors chose to temporarily forget the festival's purpose and simply enjoy the sights.
    "It's originally a festival to honor the spirit of the war dead, but I don't think about that and I came here to have fun," said Kei Nemoto, 21, a university student who came to the festival as a date with his girlfriend.
    But regardless of recent controversy surrounding the shrine, some visitors were sincere in honoring the spirits of those who died.
    "It's the very first day of the festival, so I will dance sincerely with everyone in my thoughts," said Atsushi Hose, 39, a company employee.
    The shrine, along with the festival, has gained international attention as East Asian neighbors, particularly China and South Korea, see it as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
    Relations among the three nations have chilled and tensions risen at times when past and present Japanese Prime Ministers have visited the shrine to give their ritual offerings.
    Other disputes, including territorial rows and mutual distrust over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's bolder security policies and China's military assertiveness, have further aggravated relations in the region.
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