Defense Minister Koizumi Among Four Ministers to Visit Yasukuni Shrine
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and three other Cabinet ministers visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on August 15, the anniversary of the end of World War II, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi refrained from going in person and instead offered prayers from the Nippon Budokan. (News On Japan)
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and three other Cabinet ministers visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on August 15, marking the first confirmed visit by a serving defense minister since Minoru Kihara went there on August 15, 2024. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit the shrine in person but offered prayers from the Nippon Budokan, performing the Shinto ritual of bowing, clapping, and bowing once.
Meanwhile, torrential rain in Chiba Prefecture caused widespread flooding, resulting in eight deaths, eight confirmed deaths, and damage to at least 170 homes. The volcanic alert level for Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture was raised from Level 2 to Level 3 due to increased volcanic tremors and gas emissions.
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