일본 방위상, ‘야스쿠니 참배’ 반발 다룬 기사에 “이해불가”

Former Japanese Defense Minister Isuzumi Shinjiro expressed strong disapproval of a domestic Japanese news article that criticized his visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Victory Day, May 15th. In a recent X post, he shared a communication from the defense ministry titled "Defense Officials, Korean Reaction Raises Concerns." Isuzumi wrote that Japanese media using foreign government-provided photos to publish articles on such subjects is "not understandable."

He added, "The photos and the headline are truly surprising." The communication noted that Isuzumi visited Yasukuni Shrine to pay respects on May 15th, a day marking Japan's defeat in World War II, and raised concerns about the impact on Japan-Korea defense cooperation. The current defense minister visited Yasukuni Shrine for the second time in two years, once while serving as Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister, and once during his tenure as Defense Minister.

Yasukuni Shrine, located in Tokyo's Koto Ward, is a symbol of Japanese militarism and houses the graves of prominent World War II war criminals. In response, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official lodged an official protest in Tokyo, lodging complaints about the excessive media pressure on Isuzumi. Some opposition politicians, including former Diet member Oshima Ichiro, criticized Isuzumi for attempting to exert political pressure through media outlets, stating that he clearly did not understand the nature of politics.

Isuzumi, 45, is the son of former Prime Minister Isuzu Jun'ichi, and while he finished second in the JDP general election last October, he remains a prominent contender for the next prime ministerial election.