TOKYO (Aug 15): Men and women of all ages braved scorching heat amid the COVID-19 pandemic to pay their respects at Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday, the 75th anniversary of Japan's surrender ending World War Two. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the shrine for war dead, which also honours some convicted war criminals, but avoided a personal visit that would anger China and South Korea. "I don't understand why South Koreans are criticising the Japanese for paying respects to the war dead. We are purely paying respects to our war dead, like every other country around the world." MEGUMI TANIGUCHI, 59, CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT"Even after the war, the emperor came here and the early prime ministers were here too.

Source: The Edge Markets August 15, 2020 01:30 UTC