Peace rallies and memorial events are being held around Japan on Saturday to mark the 64th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
In central Tokyo, about 290 people, including families of those killed in the war, attended a rally hosted by a group opposing visits by cabinet ministers to Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Japan's war dead and includes leaders who were convicted of war crimes.
The head of the group, Shigenori Nishikawa, said Yasukuni Shrine tries to glorify death in battle. He said Japan must not allow the shrine to become a bastion of its defense ideology.
He added that the country should not forget its responsibility of wrongdoings to other Asian nations and must strictly preserve the principle of separation of government and religion.
After the gathering, the participants held a rally and urged cabinet members not to visit the shrine.
Meanwhile, a group demanding that cabinet ministers officially visit Yasukuni hosted a rally at the shrine.
The organizer says more than 2,000 people took part.
The head of the group, Takanori Nakajo, criticized the idea that people should not visit the shrine because it includes convicted war criminals.
He said he opposes the construction of a new memorial that would replace Yasukuni Shrine, and demanded that all Japanese prime ministers should visit the shrine.
2009/08/15 20:17(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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