Korean Man Arrested at Yasukuni Shrine for Attempting to Hang 'Dokdo Is Our Land' Banner

Attempt to Display Banner in Front of Imperial Envoy's Vehicle
Arrested at the Scene... "I Did What I Wanted to Do"

During the annual Spring Grand Festival (Reitaisai) at Yasukuni Shrine in Japan, a Korean man was arrested on charges of disrupting the ritual after attempting to hang a banner reading "Dokdo is our land."

On the 21st, offerings dedicated by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi were placed at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Sankei Shimbun on April 22, a 64-year-old man identified as Park attempted to display banners at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, with messages such as "Dokdo is our territory" and "Stop worship at Yasukuni Shrine by war criminals." He was stopped by shrine officials before he could do so.

The place where Park tried to hang the banners was in front of the vehicle carrying the imperial envoy. Park is a resident of Korea and reportedly entered Japan on April 20. After being arrested at the scene, Park told police, "I did what I wanted to do."

Yasukuni Shrine commemorates approximately 2,466,000 people who died in civil wars in Japan before and after the Meiji Restoration, as well as in numerous wars waged by Imperial Japan. Among those enshrined are 14 Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War.

On the previous day, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dedicated a ceremonial offering called "masakaki" to Yasukuni Shrine in her official capacity as Prime Minister, in observance of the Spring Grand Festival. Both the Korean and Chinese governments expressed regret, but Prime Minister Takaichi also made a personal offering called "tamagushi" at her own expense on this day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.