The Japanese cabinet members, including Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, on Sunday dedicated paper lanterns to the war shrine in Tokyo during the annual Mitama festival. The controversial shrine honors a number of class-A war criminals from World War II.

„The international community voiced criticism and concerns over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s visit to the shrine last year,“ Noh Kwang-il, spokesman at Seoul‘s foreign ministry, told a regular press briefing.