Kishida vows ‘no war’ as ministers visit shrine

Contentious: Members of right-wing organisations gathering at the entrance to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo to mark the 77th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. — AFP

TOKYO: Japan’s premier Fumio Kishida vowed to never again wage war on the anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender while members of his Cabinet visited a controversial shrine to mark the date, angering South Korea and China.

With the Yasukuni Shrine seen as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, Tokyo’s ties with China are already strained this year after Beijing conducted unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan following the visit there by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this month.