Aging veterans, widows of the fallen, children and grandchildren, friends and family of those Japanese soldiers interred @ Yasukuni. Most of those interred were not war criminals for which Yasukuni is famous and known for. I would like to think that many were heroes/heroines who performed individual acts of bravery. I would like to think that Yasukuni represents and memorializes those soldiers who exhibited compassion and sacrifice to both friend and foe alike. Otherwise, why would close to a million people visit Yasukuni on this one special memorial day every year on August 15th?