Japan PM Takaichi Makes Ritual Offering to Yasukuni Shrine

Tokyo, April 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a “masakaki” ritual tree offering to war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday for its spring festival, which began the same day. She offered the tree stand in her capacity as prime minister. Takaichi plans to skip a visit to the Shinto shrine during the three-day festival through Thursday, people close to the prime minister said. Yasukuni Shrine is regarded by countries such as China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism as it honors Class-A war criminals among the war dead. Takaichi, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and is known for her conservative stance, previously visited Yasukuni Shrine in principle during its spring and autumn festivals and on the Aug. 15 anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, including when she had ministerial posts. This time, Takaichi is expected to refrain from paying a visit, apparently taking account of relations with China and South Korea. Beijing opposes her remarks last November regarding a possible contingency over Taiwan. Relations between Japan and South Korea are improving. Takaichi skipped a Yasukuni visit during last year’s autumn festival, which came shortly before her inauguration as prime minister. Instead, she made a “tamagushi” ritual offering to the shrine in her capacity as LDP president while paying the cost out of her own pocket. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference Tuesday: “The prime minister made the masakaki offering in her private capacity. This is not something on which the government should comment.” On Tuesday, Eisuke Mori, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan’s parliament, Masakazu Sekiguchi, president of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, health minister Kenichiro Ueno, Jiro Akama, head of the National Public Safety Commission, and Minoru Kiuchi, minister in charge of growth strategy, also made masakaki offerings to Yasukuni Shrine. Meanwhile, Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, the coalition partner of the LDP, JIP Secretary-General Hiroshi Nakatsuka and former JIP leader Nobuyuki Baba visited the shrine. “Paying a visit to the shrine in a calm environment is necessary,” Fujita said. It is regrettable that a Yasukuni visit is treated as a political issue, he added. Fujita avoided mentioning whether Takaichi should visit the shrine. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]