N. Korea raps Japan PM Takaichi over bow toward war-linked Yasukuni shrine

North Korea recently expressed disapproval of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for bowing toward the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, with state-run media describing her actions as evidence of extreme militaristic ambition. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) noted that it was unprecedented for a sitting prime minister to perform such a bow on the day of Japan's surrender in World War II.

Takaichi, who is known for her tough security stance, avoided visiting the shrine on August 15, the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender, but she did send a ritual offering and attended a memorial service, performing the bow in the parking lot of a nearby hall. Before assuming her current role in October, Takaichi had a history of visiting the shrine on war anniversaries.

The shrine, which honors both war dead and convicted war criminals, has been a point of diplomatic contention with countries affected by Japan's wartime expansion, including China and Korea. KCNA accused Takaichi's government of adopting dangerously aggressive military policies, including a possible reconsideration of Japan's nonnuclear principles.

Japan's continued denial of its wartime atrocities and insistence on maintaining its wartime record have led to strained relations with neighboring nations, particularly North Korea, which recently joined forces with China in condemning Japan's increasing militarization.