![[Log] 'Abe Succession' Japan's Suga Offers Tribute at Yasukuni Autumn Festival... Related Log](https://cphoto.asiae.co.kr/listimglink/1/2020101708484748268_1602892128.jpg)
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eun-byeol] Yoshihide Suga, Prime Minister of Japan, commemorated the Autumn Grand Festival at Yasukuni Shrine on the 17th by sending offerings, marking the first time since his inauguration. The shrine enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War.
On the day the two-day Autumn Grand Festival at Yasukuni Shrine began, Prime Minister Suga offered 'Masakaki,' an evergreen tree used as an altar decoration. This was the first time he submitted offerings for the Autumn Grand Festival since taking office. Analysts interpret this as an attempt to avoid the diplomatic burden of a direct visit while politically achieving the effect of a de facto visit domestically.
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine once on December 26, 2013, the year after beginning his second term. During his tenure, he only sent offerings during the spring and autumn grand festivals and on August 15, the day marking Japan’s defeat (End of War Memorial Day), mindful of South Korea and China.
Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine three days after his resignation on the 19th of last month. Prime Minister Suga, who took office emphasizing the full succession of the Abe Cabinet, appears to have sent a message that he will follow Abe’s approach regarding the Yasukuni Shrine issue through this offering.
Yasukuni Shrine honors the spirits of approximately 2,466,000 people who sacrificed their lives for the Emperor (Tenno) during the civil wars around the Meiji Restoration in 1867 and various imperialist wars initiated by Japan.
The following is a timeline focusing on Japanese Prime Ministers’ visits and offerings related to Yasukuni Shrine.
▲ 1879 = Tokyo Shokonsha, a national shrine, renamed Yasukuni Shrine (meaning "to pacify the nation")
▲ October 1951 = Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida visits
▲ October 1978 = Secret enshrinement of 14 Class-A war criminals including Hideki Tojo
▲ August 15, 1985 = Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone makes first official visit on Defeat Day
▲ July 1996 = Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visits
▲ August 13, 2001 = Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visits
▲ April 21, 2002 = Koizumi’s second visit during tenure
▲ January 14, 2003 = Koizumi’s third visit during tenure
▲ January 1, 2004 = Koizumi’s fourth visit during tenure
▲ September 30, 2005 = Osaka High Court rules Prime Minister’s visit unconstitutional
▲ October 17, 2005 = Koizumi’s fifth visit during tenure
▲ June 23, 2006 = Supreme Court dismisses appeal against Yasukuni unconstitutionality lawsuit
▲ April 15, 2006 = Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe visits
▲ August 15, 2006 = Koizumi visits on Defeat Day for first time in 21 years as incumbent
▲ April 2007 = Prime Minister Abe sends offerings in the name of the Cabinet
▲ October 2008 = Prime Minister Taro Aso sends offerings
▲ August 15, 2009 = Koizumi and former Prime Minister Abe visit
▲ August 15, 2010 = First Defeat Day after Democratic Party takes power; no cabinet ministers visit... former Prime Minister Abe visits
▲ August 15, 2011 = Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda states "Class-A war criminals enshrined are not war criminals"
▲ September 2, 2011 = Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s inauguration press conference: "Prime Minister and cabinet ministers will not officially visit"
▲ November 30, 2011 = Japan Supreme Court dismisses Korean plaintiff’s request to cancel enshrinement
▲ December 26, 2011 = Chinese national Liu Chang sets fire to Yasukuni Shrine’s newspaper stand
▲ August 15, 2012 = National Public Safety Commission Chairman Jin Matsubara and Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Yuichiro Hata visit... first cabinet ministers’ visit under Democratic Party government
▲ February 8, 2013 = Prime Minister Abe states "Visits are up to the free will of cabinet ministers"
▲ April 20-21, 2013 = Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshitaka Shindo, and National Public Safety Commission Chairman Keiji Furuya visit
▲ April 21, 2013 = Prime Minister Abe sends offerings
▲ August 15, 2013 = Prime Minister Abe sends offerings
▲ September 23, 2013 = Korean national Kang (23) arrested after trespassing Yasukuni Shrine with incendiary materials
▲ October 17, 2013 = Prime Minister Abe sends offerings
▲ December 26, 2013 = Prime Minister Abe visits on first anniversary of inauguration... thereafter sends offerings annually during spring and autumn grand festivals and on Defeat Day (August 15)
▲ September 19, 2020 = Former Prime Minister Abe visits three days after resignation
▲ October 17, 2020 = Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sends offerings (Masakaki) in the name of 'Prime Minister' 31 days after inauguration
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