Abe Makes Sudden Visit to Yasukuni Shrine After 6 Years and 8 Months

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is paying a visit to Yasukuni Shrine on the morning of the 19th. Screenshot from former Prime Minister Abe's Twitter

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] Less than a week after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stepped down, he visited Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals are enshrined. This is the first confirmed visit by Abe to Yasukuni Shrine in about 6 years and 8 months.

On the morning of the 19th, Abe posted on Twitter, "Today, I visited Yasukuni Shrine and reported to the spirits that I stepped down as Prime Minister on the 16th of this month." He also uploaded a photo showing him moving within the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine.

During his tenure as Prime Minister, Abe faced strong criticism both inside and outside Japan for visiting Yasukuni Shrine and subsequently refrained from visiting. However, after shedding the political burden of being the "incumbent Prime Minister," he quickly resumed visits, reaffirming his far-right stance.

With his successor, Yoshihide Suga, proclaiming the "succession of the Abe administration," this is also interpreted as a political message aimed at the conservative and right-wing factions, the main support base of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

On December 26, 2013, marking the first anniversary of his return to power, Abe made a sudden visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which sparked criticism that it justified Japan's aggressive wars. South Korea and China strongly protested, and the United States issued a statement expressing disappointment.

Since then, Abe has replaced visits with sending offerings or the monetary equivalent of offerings on Japan’s defeat anniversary (August 15) and during the spring and autumn festivals at Yasukuni Shrine.

Yasukuni Shrine enshrines 14 Class A war criminals, including Hideki Tojo, who was executed by hanging following the Far East International Military Tribunal (Tokyo Trials).