Tens of thousands of people braved blazing heat to pay their respects at a controversial Japanese shrine on Friday, as Emperor Naruhito spoke of his “deep remorse” on the 80th anniversary of the nation’s World War II surrender.

Two cabinet ministers were among the visitors to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honours 2.5 million mostly Japanese soldiers who perished since the late 19th century but also enshrines convicted war criminals.

Trips to the shrine by government officials have angered countries that suffered Japanese military atrocities, particularly China and South Korea.

Naruhito said he felt “a deep and renewed sense of sorrow” in a sombre speech alongside Empress Masako in an indoor arena in the centre of the Japanese capital, where the national flag flew at half-mast outs

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