Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Justin Bieber apologises for Japan war shrine trip

TOKYO — Justin Bieber apologised today (April 23) to those he offended by visiting Japan’s Yasukuni war shrine this week, saying he was misled to see it as only a place of prayer.

Justin Bieber has apologised for visiting Japan’s Yasukuni war shrine . He had posted this photo on his Instagram account, but has since deleted it.

Justin Bieber has apologised for visiting Japan’s Yasukuni war shrine . He had posted this photo on his Instagram account, but has since deleted it.

TOKYO — Justin Bieber apologised today (April 23) to those he offended by visiting Japan’s Yasukuni war shrine this week, saying he was misled to see it as only a place of prayer.

The Shinto shrine in Tokyo honours 2.5 million war dead, including 14 convicted war criminals. China and South Korea in particular see Yasukuni as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism and see visits to it as a lack of understanding or remorse over wartime history.

Two photos posted late yesterday and subsequently removed from Instagram showed Bieber praying outdoors at the shrine and standing beside a Shinto priest. The images outraged China as well as many commenters on Instagram and Twitter.

In a new Instagram post this evening, Bieber said he asked his driver to stop when he saw the shrine.

“I was mislead to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry,” the post said. AP

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.