Recent events in the nation's normally staid print media have surprised readers of the powerful Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun.

The world's two largest newspapers in terms of circulation are typically on separate sides of the fence: the Yomiuri leans to the political right, while the Asahi sits on the left.

In recent months, however, the two rivals have come down on the same side on the Yasukuni Shrine issue.