Yasukuni Shrine has clarified that its new policy banning military-style clothing on its groundsdoes not apply to active-duty members.
After receiving inquiries, including those from The Japan Times, the Tokyo-based shrine on Wednesday issued a clarification to an Aug. 7 notice asking visitors not to wear cosplay outfits or military attire and equipment within its premises.
While the number of people who had actually served during World War II who visit Yasukuni wearing their military uniforms has dwindled, the shrine said that it has seen an increase in visitors wearing military attire without any affiliation or qualification.
“The purpose is to maintain an environment in which members of the public can worship in peace,” the shrine said.
The policy will not apply to Self-Defense Forces personnel, members of foreign militaries, and others who are required to wear uniforms as part of their duties or are entitled to wear them based on their qualifications.
The notice further stated that the new policy was not prompted by any specific complaint or individual incident, nor was it introduced with a particular day in mind. It is expected to apply the policy all year round.
Visitors who are unaware of the policy will be informed of it, but the shrine said it does not intend to forcibly eject them from its grounds if they turn up in the prohibited clothing.
Yasukuni, which enshrines Japan’s war dead, including those indicted and convicted as Class-A war criminals, has often stood at the center of political controversy, inviting criticism from China and South Korea, which view the shrine as a symbol of Japan’s militaristic past.
