Yasukuni Shrine and Yūshūkan Museum: A Complete Guide to Their Importance

Yushukan Museum on the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine are both a lightning rods of controversy in Japan's post-WWII relationships with neighbouring countries.

Join me as I cover the history of this political battleground that was built originally to remember the dead.

This video is purely educational. The information provided in this video is for educational purposes only. All viewers are advised to do their own research. This video contains copyrighted material that is used under the fair use doctrine for commentary and educational purposes. Some symbols that appear in this video may not be legal in all jurisdictions.

00:00 Intro
1:36 Scope of this Video
02:43 Founding of Yasukuni Shrine and early years
06:38 The Taiwan Problem
07:57 Sophia University and Instruction Pluries Instanterque
09:20 Global War and its consequences
13:04 Occupation of Japan
16:54 Post occupation
21:35 Enshrining Class A war criminals
23:25 A match and the drama really begins
28:32 Lawfare, protests, celebrities and leaks
39:21 Early years of Yushukan Museum
40:55 Post WWII
42:15 Nagayoshi Matsudaira's and the modern Yushukan Museum
48:12 Leaving the grounds and closing

Photo Credits:

→ Kakidai - 投稿者自身による著作物, CC 表示-継承 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70718306による
→ By Ffggss - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=126720560
→ National Archives and Records Administration (USA)
→ Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
→ Universal Newsreel Collection
→ By Torsodog (talk) (Uploads) - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148295962
→ Office of the Prime Minister (Japan)
→ Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland
→ dati.camera.it
→ Jiří Tondl
→ Legislative Yuen (Republic of China)
→ Academia Historica
→ United States Mission Geneva
→ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)
→ Justin Bieber - Instagram
→ Ann Frank - Facebook
→ Ranyi Music
→ Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force
→ By Ikkansai - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23439241
→ Collectie Wereldmuseum (v/h Tropenmuseum), part of the National Museum of World Cultures

Sources:

“Yasukuni Shrine: Ritual and Memory” By John Breen. 10 June 2005. Asia Pacific Journal - Japan Focus https://apjjf.org/john-breen/2060/article

“Popes, Bishops and War Criminals: reflections on Catholics and Yasukuni in post-war Japan” By John Breen. 1 March 2010. Asia Pacific Journal - Japan Focus https://apjjf.org/john-breen/3312/article

Igawa, Sei (2005-10-10). "Japan-Vietnam relations, were based on the performance of Japanese volunteers in Vietnam Independence War" By Sei Igawa 10 October 2005. Tokyo Foundation https://nippon.zaidan.info/seikabutsu/2005/01036/pdf/0001.pdf

“The Hokkaido Myth” By D.M. Giangreco. Autumn 2015. Journal of Stratagy and Politics https://strategyandpolitics.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/journal-issue-2.pdf

U.S. Department of State memorandum dated March 15, 1944 titled "Japan ― Freedom of Worship," Foreign relations of the United States diplomatic papers, 1944. The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, the Far East Volume V 1944 https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A2TWJOGYVBMSVQ82/pages/AK37IWUTNU6XT68J

''His Majesty is trying to destroy Yasukuni.'' Yasukuni Shrine top official says ''criticism of the imperial family.'' 30 September 2018 News-Postseven https://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20180930_771685.html/8

“Yasukuni Shrine, the Yushukan Military Museum, and Japan’s place in the world” By Oleg Benesch. 29 July 2024. Asia Pacific Journal - Japan Focus https://apjjf.org/2024/7/benesch

“Yushukan [“Museum of Armaments”], Kudan, Tokyo, c. 1910.” https://www.oldtokyo.com https://www.oldtokyo.com/yushukan-yushukwan-kudan-c-1910/

“Reaction to Popular Pressure or a Political Tool? Different Interpretations of China's Policy Regarding Koizumi's Visits to the Yasukuni Shrine” By Zakowski, Karol. November 2012 Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia / Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia, https://accesson.kr/jceasia/v.11/2/47/48096

“Nakasone, giving in, will shun shrine” By Clyde Haberman. 10 October 1985. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/10/world/nakasone-giving-in-will-shun-shrine.html

“Justin Bieber visits Yasukuni Shrine: “Thank you for your blessings”” By William. 23 April 2014 Japan Trends https://www.japantrends.com/justin-bieber-visits-yasukuni-shrine-thank-you-for-your-blessings/

“Chinese actor Zhang Zhehan faces domestic boycott over 2018 photos at Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine” By Laura Zhou. 15 August 2021. SCMP
https://web.archive.org/web/20220309212609/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3145113/chinese-actor-zhang-zhehan-faces-domestic-boycott-over-2018

Credits:

Director: DebonairDylan
Producer: DebonairDylan
Lead Researcher: DebonairDylan
Technical Producer: DebonairDylan
Lead Cameraman: DebonairDylan
Voicee Work: DebonairDylan
Honorary Research Assistant: Lovely Lil