The perpetually controversial Justin Bieber is apologizing for posting two pictures of a Japanese war shrine to Instagram. His photos of his visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine angered many Chinese and South Korean Beliebers, who view the shrine as a brutal reminder of Japan's World War II atrocities.
The monument, which has been a constant source of international controversy, enshrines more than 2 million Japanese who died in war, including 14 of Japan's convicted class A war criminals. It also includes a museum that defends Japan's wartime aggression. The Instagram photos elicited a comment from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, who helpfully reminded the pop star of the lasting tensions between China and Japan.
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Bieber deleted the pictures and apologized. "I was mislead [sic] to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry," he said in a post on Instagram. "I love you China and I love you Japan."