North Korea's state media on Monday criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for bowing to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo earlier this month, calling it a manifestation of "militarist ambitions taken to an extreme."
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the remarks come as bilateral relations between the two countries, already strained, grow more complicated. The Yasukuni Shrine is viewed by many Asian nations as a symbol of Japan's wartime militarism because it honors Class-A war criminals.
Takaichi's gesture occurred on August 15, coinciding with the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. The prime minister did not visit the shrine in person but instead sent offerings and performed a remote bow, a practice many Japanese officials have adopted in recent years to avoid damaging ties with neighboring countries.
Analysts suggest Pyongyang's statement reflects North Korea's traditionally firm stance on historical issues involving Tokyo. Previously, South Korea has also repeatedly expressed concerns over Japanese officials' visits or bows to the Yasukuni Shrine.
There has been no official response from the Japanese government to North Korea's latest statement.
