Every year on Aug. 15?¡ª the anniversary of the end of World War II ¡ª Yasukuni Shrine becomes the focal point for scrutiny by the international community who wonder which Japanese politicians visited and in what numbers. Inevitably, a Cabinet minister will attend, and shortly thereafter, the governments of China and South Korea will issue a diplomatic protest, citing Â鶹´«Ã½ unwillingness to reconcile wartime transgressions.
This year proved no different.
But understanding the issues involving Yasukuni Shrine requires knowledge of its history, the political baselines and how circumstances have evolved over time.
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