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At Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, where the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II is celebrated today. The shrine honors Japan’s war dead, including some class-A war criminals.
Officially a peace celebration (with white doves being released) the event attracts a lot of nationalists, far-right figures and imperialists each year.
It’s scorching hot and at least two people have already been taken away by ambulance.
There’s a handful of people dressed up in WW2 uniforms, including a guy in a German Nazi uniform with signs saying "Our grandfathers were no criminals" and "We won’t forget, Japanese-German comradery" in German.
Pretty shocking to see how comfortable these people are walking around here in open support of Nazis/fascism. The whole thing seems pretty normalized. https://twitter.com/mxbernhard/status/1294485928514207745?s=21 https://twitter.com/mxbernhard/status/1294485928514207745
Down the street from the shrine there are a few groups that mostly share their opposition to China with the Japanese nationalists, such as Falun Gong, a campaign for Uyghurs and one for a free Taiwan.
There is also a small group of Pakistani protestors demonstrating for a free Kashmir and in opposition to India.
Indian politicians have repeatedly visited the shrine and on the grounds of the shrine you can find a memorial for Radhabinod Pal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radhabinod_Pal
Pal is revered by Japanese nationalists because he was the only judge during the Tokyo Trials after WW2 who insisted none of the defendants were guilty, saying the US provoked a war with Japan.
In a nearby park a right-wing group is getting ready for a flag march towards the shrine. There'll also be a left counter demonstration a bit later on.
They are now marching down the street towards the shrine. Again you wouldn’t be seeing a sea of national flags like that in Germany, for example.
Now they’ve stopped in front of the giant Tori at the entrance to the shrine. Some passerbys taking photos/selfies with them.
The left counter demonstrators just passed the right-wingers, divided by two lines of fences and a police cordon. Didn’t get a good photo but counter demo seemed at least twice as big.
