Suga Cabinet Incumbent Ministers' Visits Increase to Five
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine again on the 15th, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War, including Hideki Tojo, are enshrined together. The photo shows former Prime Minister Abe responding to reporters after completing his visit. Photo by Kyodo/Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals are enshrined, on the 15th, the anniversary of Japan's defeat in the Pacific War (End of War Memorial Day), Kyodo News reported.
This marks the fourth time former Prime Minister Abe has visited Yasukuni Shrine since his retirement last September. He visited the shrine three days after his retirement on September 19 last year, again on October 19 (Autumn Festival) of the same year, and on April 21 this year (Spring Festival).
Earlier, after starting his second term in office, Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine on December 26, 2013, but due to strong opposition from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China, he refrained from visiting the shrine directly during his tenure on the spring and autumn festivals and the August 15 defeat anniversary, instead offering ritual offerings.
The number of current ministers in the Yoshihide Suga Cabinet visiting Yasukuni Shrine on this defeat anniversary has increased to five.
According to Kyodo News, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Koichi Hagiuda, and Minister in charge of the Expo Shinji Inoue visited Yasukuni Shrine on this day.
Earlier, on the 13th, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, Abe’s younger brother, and Minister for Economic Revitalization Yasutoshi Nishimura visited Yasukuni Shrine.
There were no visits by Japanese ministers to Yasukuni Shrine between 2017 and 2019. However, in 2020, four ministers including Environment Minister Koizumi visited the shrine, drawing strong opposition from South Korea and China.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Suga was confirmed to have offered ritual offerings called ‘Tamagushiryo (玉串料)’ instead of visiting Yasukuni Shrine on the defeat anniversary. Jiji Press analyzed that Prime Minister Suga prioritized diplomatic consideration by offering ritual offerings instead of visiting the shrine, mindful of opposition from China and South Korea.
Yasukuni Shrine, located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, is Japan’s largest shrine and commemorates approximately 2.466 million people who died in civil wars after the Meiji Restoration and numerous wars waged by Imperial Japan.
At Yasukuni Shrine, 14 Class A war criminals who led the Pacific War, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who was executed by hanging after the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal (International Military Tribunal for the Far East) following Japan’s defeat, were enshrined in 1978. This has caused strong opposition from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China whenever Japanese political figures visit the shrine.
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