Japan sends wrong signals with Yasukuni visits: German newspaper

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Japan sends wrong signals with Yasukuni visits: German newspaper

(Xinhua) 11:32, August 17, 2013

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Japan has sent wrong signals to the rest of the world by visiting a shrine honoring war criminals and by intentionally omitting regret for war victims, a German newspaper commented on Friday.

Frankfurter Allgemeine, a conservative German newspaper, said that the political elite of an island nation "should know that they are not allowed to do everything," calling Japanese cabinet members' visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday a "tragedy."

"The head of the Japanese government tells the world that he is interested only in his local clientele. Does the man know what he's doing?" said the newspaper.

"Japan still needs friends from the rest of the world. Abe is going to alienate them."

Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo honors 14 Class-A war criminals in World War II.

At a ceremony on Thursday marking the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renewed at his pledge to contribute to world peace but did not mention Japan's wartime aggression in Asia, neither did he "pledge not to fight a war."

Three cabinet ministers and some 90 lawmakers visited Yasukuni Shrine on the day.

（Editor：DuMingming、Ye Xin）