Singapore regrets Japanese PM Abe's visit to Yasukuni shrine

[Sammyboy RSS Feed]

An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Singapore regrets the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni shrine on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Sunday.


A Shinto priest leads Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd L) as he visits the controversial Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo in a move which angers China, causing it to accuse Japan of whitewashing a history of warmongering and saying Japan must "bear the consequences". (AFP/Toru Yamanaka)

SINGAPORE: Singapore regrets the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni war shrine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Sunday.

A spokesman from the MFA said Singapore's consistent position has been that such visits reopen old grievances, and are unhelpful to building trust and confidence in the region.

The MFA spokesman added that tensions in the region have been rising due to the recent series of events, actions and counter-actions, taken by a number of different parties.

And Thursday's visit to the Yasukuni shrine, occurring against this backdrop and at this time, is likely to evoke further negative feelings and reactions in the region.

The MFA spokesman stressed that it is in the interest of all parties to exercise restraint, avoid actions that might further raise tensions, and seek to create an environment of greater mutual trust and understanding.


Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com.