Families of Korean WWII conscripts sue Japan and Yasukuni Shrine, demand name removal

Family members of Koreans forcibly conscripted by Japan during World War II Tuesday filed a lawsuit in South Korea, seeking the removal of the names of the deceased from the notorious Yasukuni Shrine that honors war criminals, Yonhap News reported.

Ten bereaved family members of Korean soldiers and civilian employees demanded that Yasukuni Shrine delete the names of the deceased from records which list the names and dates of death of those enshrined. They also filed to seek a total of 880 million won ($594,000) in damages from the Japanese government and the shrine.

According to Yonhap, about 20,000 Koreans are believed to have been enshrined at the shrine.

The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the WWII.

(Cover: A view of the Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo, Japan. /VCG)