South Korea has voiced deep regret after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during its annual spring festival, with several Cabinet members and lawmakers also visiting in person. The shrine, which honours around 2.46 million Japanese war dead, is controversial across Asia because its registry includes 14 Class A war criminals convicted by Allied tribunals after World War II, among them wartime leader General Hideki Tojo. Seoul's foreign ministry called on Japanese leaders to "squarely face history" and demonstrate "genuine atonement," warning that such actions undermine the mutual trust needed for a future-oriented bilateral relationship.