Looks like the Yasukuni Shrine is back in the news:

Former president Lee Teng-hui yesterday said he would like to visit the Yasukuni shrine, a controversial memorial to war dead where his elder brother is enshrined.

Lee’s elder brother served in the Japanese navy and died while on duty in February 1945 in the Philippines.

“I have not yet decided on the timing, but since I am here, I think that I should go see my brother,” Lee told reporters on his arrival at Narita airport near Tokyo.

“I will meet my brother for the first time in 60 years,” Lee said.

[...]

Speaking to Japanese reporters on the flight from Taipei, the 84-year-old former leader said he wanted to pray at the Yasukuni shrine because he did not know how much longer he would live.

The Yasukuni shrine honors 2.5 million war dead, including colonial subjects who fought for Japan. Visits to the shrine by Japanese leaders have long been a subject of dispute with China and South Korea which view the shrine as a symbol of Japan’s militarist past. Most controversially, the Shinto shrine lists the names of 14 top war criminals from World War II.

Lee Teng-hui is quite open in his pro-Japanese feelings. Not only is he nostalgic about his days as a student in Japanese-controlled Taiwan. He’s also a big fan of the manga Sakigake!! Otokojuku, going so far as to cosplay as Edajima Heihachi, the principal of the school in the series:

According to Wikipedia, his views have led him to be called “traitor to the Chinese race” by some groups in Taiwan. Such groups probably won’t be happy about his visit to pay respects to his brother’s soul either…

Update: Here is a video of the former president talking to the press at Narita Airport: