Yasukuni Shrine Ends Spring Festival with No Visit by PM Takaichi

Tokyo, April 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit Tokyo’s war-related Yasukuni Shrine during its three-day spring festival, which ended Thursday. Economic growth strategy Minoru Kiuchi was the only cabinet member confirmed to have visited the Shinto shrine during the festival period, on Wednesday. For the festival, Takaichi sent a sacred “masakaki” ritual tree offering in her capacity as prime minister. As president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, she made a “tamagushi” cash offering through Haruko Arimura, head of the LDP’s General Council. Known as a prominent conservative member of the LDP, Takaichi had rarely missed visits to the shrine during its spring and autumn festivals and on the Aug. 15 anniversary of the end of World War II. Takaichi is believed to have skipped a visit this time out of consideration for China, South Korea and other countries. She also did not visit the shrine during last autumn’s festival, just before taking office. On Thursday, Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the Conservative Party of Japan, visited the shrine and told reporters: “I offered a sense of reverence to the spirits of fallen soldiers. It is only natural for a Japanese national.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]