Japan PM Kishida sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, risking anger from China, South Korea

Shrine honours the nation’s war dead but Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals at an international tribunal are also enshrined there

Shrine is source of diplomatic friction with some of Japan’s Asian neighbours who view it as a symbol of Tokyo’s past militarism

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Published: 9:20am, 17 Oct 2022Updated: 2:38pm, 17 Oct 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday sent a ritual offering to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a source of diplomatic friction with some of Japan’s Asian neighbours who view it as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism.

Kishida sent the “masakaki” offering on the occasion of the Shinto shrine’s autumn festival, but he is expected to refrain from paying a visit, people close to him said.

Yasukuni Shrine honours the souls of the nation’s more than 2.4 million war dead but Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals in a post-World War II international tribunal are also enshrined there.

Past visits to the shrine by Japanese prime ministers, including assassinated former leader Shinzo Abe, and lawmakers have drawn harsh criticism from China and South Korea, where memories of Japan’s wartime actions run deep.

Economic security minister Sanae Takaichi visited Yasukuni on Monday. Known for sharing Abe’s hawkish views, Takaichi, who assumed her current post in Kishida’s Cabinet reshuffle in early August, has repeatedly visited the shrine.

At his daily press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, the top government spokesman, declined to comment on the administration’s view regarding Kishida’s ritual offering to Yasukuni.

Japan PM Kishida sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, risking anger from China, South Korea

Shrine honours the nation’s war dead but Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals at an international tribunal are also enshrined there Shrine is source of diplomatic friction with some of Japan’s Asian neighbours who view it as a symbol of Tokyo’s past militarism

Shrine honours the nation’s war dead but Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals at an international tribunal are also enshrined there

Shrine is source of diplomatic friction with some of Japan’s Asian neighbours who view it as a symbol of Tokyo’s past militarism