Takaichi's possible Yasukuni Shrine visit raises concerns in South Korea

Debate has intensified over whether Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Dec 26. CGTN Stringer spoke with South Korean citizens, who expressed concerns and disappointment over the possibility of a visit in the near future to the notorious place of worship honoring around 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals convicted by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.

"To be honest, I find this somewhat regrettable. Whether from a national perspective or a personal viewpoint, the acting of visiting the Yasukuni Shrine itself carries an excessive sanctification and mythologization of history. Therefore, I feel disappointed about this," said Park Yu-rae, an office worker in Seoul.

"The Japanese Prime Minister's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine has long been a source of concern for neighboring countries. Therefore, the Prime Minister's insistence on visiting this time is certainly not a positive signal. The potential negative effects are worrying. According to media reports, the Yasukuni Shrine displays materials that defend or justify Japan's imperial wars. This inevitably raises concerns about whether there is an attempt to reaffirm or revive Japanese militarism. I hope that as Japan's representative, the Prime Minister can pay more attention to the feelings of neighboring countries, and promote peace among South Korea, China and Japan with a more cautious approach," said Kim Jung-min, who is a company representative.

The interviewees said they believe such a move will surely affect the South Korea-Japan and China-Japan ties in a negative way.

"This action will undoubtedly reignite discussions on historical issues. At the same time, it may cause the diplomatic atmosphere to become tense to some extent. Although I do not believe this matter will determine everything, it could indeed become an obstacle that cannot be ignored," said a beauty consultant named Jang So-hyun.

"I take a cautious stance, believing that future relations may continue to develop in an unfavorable direction. Similar incidents keep occurring, causing relationships that once had potential to improve to gradually worsen like an infected wound, which I find very regrettable," said another Seoul-based office worker Heo Jae-hun.

"Especially South Korea and China, both of which have been victims of Japanese aggression in the past. Therefore, it is inevitable to remain highly sensitive to this issue. As an ordinary citizen, I am also quite concerned about this," Kim said.

"After all, this is a historical issue. Regarding history, we should acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged and face the mistakes openly. I believe we need more space, so that the younger generation can understand these issues from a new perspective. Statements like 'we will visit' or 'we do not acknowledge' are more likely to have negative consequences. I think it is essential to establish a communication channel that can truly resolve these issues," Park said.

Takaichi's possible Yasukuni Shrine visit raises concerns in South Korea

An art exhibition was held simultaneously on Wednesday aboard China's Tiangong space station orbiting about 400 kilometers above Earth, and at the Capital Museum in Beijing, showcasing teenagers' imaginative visions of the future and their deep respect for role models nationwide.

The event launched its call for entries in July 2025, selecting 80 paintings from a pool of over 15,000 submissions from teens across the country. On October 31, the selected works were sent to the Chinese space station aboard the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft.

It is the fifth painting exhibition held aboard the Tiangong space station.

The artworks frequently highlight figures from China's space industry chasing the space dream, high-speed rail workers striving for excellence, and firefighters braving danger. The young creators honored pioneering role models through their paintings which illustrate their understanding of how personal growth integrates with national development.

The Shenzhou-21 crew members, comprised of mission commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, have displayed and introduced the teenagers' artworks during their mission aboard the space station.

"'Role Models in My Heart' is the theme of this exhibition. From the paintings, we deeply feel the teenagers' respect for pioneering role models lying beneath their brushstrokes, which shines brighter than stars and stretches wider than the sky," said a crew member of the Shenzhou-21 mission.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the Capital Museum hosted an interactive event featuring representatives from the aerospace, high-speed rail, and firefighting sectors. These role models engaged with young visitors, sharing stories of how they are dedicated to and shoulder the responsibility in their respective fields.

"Seeing the children's paintings about high-speed railway, which are full of imaginative depictions and hopes for the future development of China's high-speed rail, is a great inspiration to us," said Weng Shengyuan from the Institute of Computing Technologies of the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited.

"I can't go to space yet, but my painting went to space in my place. I feel very honored. My painting is about winning glory for the country, depicting athletes in a competition. Today we're on the school playground; in the future, we will make breakthroughs in various other fields both in space and on the ground, daring to tackle challenges and win glory for our country," said Li Chongjing, a student participating in the event.

The exhibition at the Capital Museum brings together works displayed in all the five editions of the exhibition, as the first comprehensive showcase of all collections of the event. The exhibition will run through May 24.

Tiangong space station, ground jointly hold fifth youth art exhibition