Relatives of Koreans who were forcibly taken away by Japan during World War II have filed a lawsuit in South Korea demanding that the names of the deceased be removed from the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours war criminals, according to the Yonhap news agency.

The families of ten South Korean soldiers and civilian workers are demanding that the Yasukuni Shrine remove the names of the deceased from its lists containing names and dates of death. At the same time, they have filed a claim for a total of 880 million won (£594,000) in damages from the Japanese government and the Yasukuni Shrine.

According to the Yonhap news agency, it is estimated that around 20,000 Koreans worship at this shrine.

CMG