Japan's Asian neighbours see Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, and relations with China and South Korea have deteriorated in recent years, partly over the prime minister's annual visits. The shrine honours Japan's military war dead and some executed World War Two war criminals.
The plaintiffs, who included several Christians, had argued that Koizumi's visits to the Shinto shrine violated Japan's constitutional separation of religion and the state, but the court ruled that his visits were private acts.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
