Japan Press Weekly

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2008 October 8 - 14 [POLITICS]

Aso: War dead enshrined at Yasukuni are divine souls

At the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on October 7, Prime Minister Aso Taro stated that his view on the prime minister’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine remains unchanged.

Aso has called for Yasukuni Shrine to voluntarily dissolve itself as a religious entity so that it will come under government control and be able to hold memorial services under the auspices of the state.

The prime minister was responding to questions by Democratic Party of Japan Vice President Okada Katsuya.

He said, “It is wrong to continue with the present situation in which it is seen prohibited for the state to enshrine with the highest honor those people who gave their sacred lives to the nation.”

Aso also said, “During the war, the government assured Japanese soldiers that they would be enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine. It was on that premise that they went to war and died. It sounds like you are saying that due to government convenience, the war dead are no longer sacred souls. To be honest, I think that is insulting to the war dead.”

By making this statement, Aso made clear his belief that the war dead should be treated as divine souls.