Justin Bieber apologizes for visiting Japan’s Yasukuni war shrine, says he was misled

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FILE - In this March 19, 2013 file photo, Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Bercy Arena in Paris. Bieber has apologized to those he offended by visiting Japan\'s Yasukuni war shrine the week of April 20, 2014, saying he was misled to see it as only a place of prayer. The Shinto shrine in Tokyo honors 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. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

TOKYO – Justin Bieber has apologized 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 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 Wednesday evening, Bieber wrote that he asked his driver to stop at the shrine but was misled on its purpose.

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