A slap in the face

摘要

The first visit by a Japanese prime minister in seven years to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, made by Shinzo Abe on December 26th, looks like a diplomatic disaster. China, South Korea and America had all made clear their opposition to his going to a temple where the spirits of 14 high-ranking war criminals are enshrined, along with those of 2.5m other Japanese war dead. But Mr Abe had said he regretted not having visited the shrine during his first stint in the job in 2006-07. He may well have felt he had little to lose, and judge now that his decision to go has been vindicated by the international reaction.