As global tensions simmer in 2025, Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine remains a lightning rod for controversy with its continued enshrinement of 14 Class-A WWII war criminals. These figures, convicted by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in 1946, include architects of wartime atrocities across Asia.
The Hanged Seven: Architects of Conflict
Among the most notorious enshrined figures are Hideki Tojo (Japan's wartime prime minister) and Iwane Matsui (responsible for the Nanjing Massacre). They were among seven executed leaders whose actions shaped the Pacific War's darkest chapters. The full list includes:
While the shrine claims to honor all war dead, its inclusion of convicted war criminals continues to strain Japan's relations with neighbors in 2025. Recent visits by Japanese officials have sparked fresh debates about historical accountability versus cultural tradition.
Young historians on TikTok and Reddit are reviving discussions about wartime legacy through viral explainers, proving that 80 years later, these names still shape East Asia's political landscape. 🕊️📜
