As Japan’s government never ceases to point out, the Yasukuni shrine, built in 1869, venerates the 2.5 million Japanese who have died for their country, not just the 14 judged as war criminals after WWII. But, while many Japanese feel (with some justification) that South Korea and, in particular, China, exploit the Yasukuni issue to reduce Japan’s influence in the region and to pander to their publics’ strong nationalism, they are missing the point.
正如日本政府一直指出的那样，1869年修建的靖国神社供奉着250万为国捐躯的日本烈士，而不仅仅是那14名二战期间受到审判的日本战犯。但小泉政府指责（其说法似乎也不无道理）韩国，特别是中国政府利用靖国神社事件来削弱日本的地区影响，煽动公众强烈的民族主义情绪的说法却显然并未切中要害。