Yasukuni Shrine was founded in 1869. It was built to commemorate and worship those soldiers who have died in Japan's conflicts between 1853 and 1945, according to the shrine's website.

A massive political controversy surrounds the site due to the addition of the names of 14 Class A war criminals in the World War II, that have been enshrined since 1978.

With former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visiting the shrine since 2001, it has become a worldwide topic and drawn strong protests from various Asian countries, including China and South Korea. The site has been widely regarded as a symbol of Japanese militarism and ultra-nationalism, and many are taking such actions as a sign that Japan's political leaders are not looking critically enough at their country's history.