WORLD
Blast at Japan's Yasukuni Shrine for War Dead, No Injuries
Baku, November 23, AZERTAC
An explosion Monday damaged a public restroom at Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japanese war dead, said police, who suspect foul play. No one was injured.
Yasukuni, which enshrines 2.5 million of Japanese war dead, including executed war criminals, has been the target of criticism from China and South Korea, which suffered Japan's World War II aggression.
Tokyo police said in a statement that they received a call about an explosion and smoke at Yasukuni. Fire fighters were also called to the scene and found the ceiling and walls of the restroom had been damaged, said an official at the Tokyo Fire Department who spoke on condition of anonymity. But the fire was out by the time they arrived.
It was unclear what caused the explosion. Police and fire department officials declined to elaborate.
The shrine is a focal point for lingering tensions with Japan's neighbors over the country's aggression before and during World War II. Some Japanese lawmakers have insisted on making official visits in the name of patriotism, while other lawmakers say such visits glorify Japan's historical mistakes.
While views on the shrine have also divided the Japanese public, it holds emotional significance for many because during the war soldiers promised each other they would reunite at Yasukuni, if they died. Survivors and families say another monument elsewhere won't do because the soldiers' spirits go to Yasukuni.
Many families and tourists visit Yasukuni, and Monday was a national holiday.
The shrine has a grandiose gate, giant cherry trees, flocks of pigeons and a museum that pays homage to those who died in Japan's wars, including kamikaze pilots.