After a minor crime spree in the States, eternal teen Justin Drew Bieber is trying to stay out of trouble these days. Yesterday, he visited a shrine in Tokyo, a safe place where nothing could go wrong. Except inflaming decades-old tensions between China and Japan.

Bieber posted an Instagram photo from the Yasukuni Shrine, which he believed to be a place of prayer. It's actually a controversial tribute to Japan's World War II soldiers—or, from the point of view of China and South Korea, war criminals who routinely tortured prisoners. The shrine made the news when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited it last December, provoking outrage from China and South Korea and concern from the U.S.

Bieber's timing was unfortunate, as well. Just yesterday, Japanese ministers visited the controversial shrine again, and Abe sent an offering (though he chose not to risk attending in person again).

After tons of negative comments on his Instagram, Bieber deleted the photo to avoid getting involved in a land war in Asia. It had been liked 660,000 times.

The Biebs issued the following apology:

"While in Japan I asked my driver to pull over for which I saw a beautiful shrine. I was mislead to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry. I love you China and I love you Japan."

Even when he's not drag racing, house-egging, or writing racist graffiti, Bieber can't catch a break.

[Photo: Instagram]