Kishida Offers Tribute at Yasukuni Shrine... Some Cabinet Members Pay Respects (Summary)

Pacific War Class A War Criminals Enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine
Offering Tribute and Worship by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Minister in Charge of Economic Security

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offered a tribute at Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined. Some ministers and politicians also continued to pay their respects.

On the 17th, Kyodo News reported that Prime Minister Kishida donated a "masakaki" in the name of "Prime Minister Fumio Kishida" for the Yasukuni Autumn Grand Festival (Reitaisai), which began that day. Masakaki is a wooden offering placed on the shrine altar, and at Yasukuni, it can only be offered during the annual spring and autumn Reitaisai, giving it significant meaning. Kishida also offered a masakaki as a tribute at last year's autumn Reitaisai.

However, Kyodo News reported that he did not visit the shrine this time either. Since taking office in October 2021, he has not visited the shrine during the spring or autumn Reitaisai.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A procession of some ministers paying respects also continued. Sanae Takaichi, Minister in charge of Economic Security, visited Yasukuni at 10 a.m. that day to pay respects and personally covered the cost of the "tamagushi"?an offering of white paper attached to a branch presented to the shrine.

After paying respects, Minister Takaichi told reporters, “I expressed my respect and gratitude to the spirits who died in the line of duty under national policy,” and “I also prayed for the health of the bereaved families.” She visits Yasukuni Shrine every year during the spring and autumn Reitaisai and on August 15, Japan’s day of surrender commemoration.

Yoshitaka Shindo, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, also paid respects and told reporters, “I paid my respects with deep reverence to the spirits,” but declined to answer questions about the title he used on the masakaki or whether he offered a tamagushi, calling it a “private matter.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, also visited Yasukuni the previous day to pay respects and covered the cost of the tamagushi. After paying respects, he told reporters, “I prayed for the peace of the spirits and pledged to do my utmost for Japan’s peace and prosperity.” Minister Nishimura also visited Yasukuni to pay respects the day before the Reitaisai last October.

On the 18th, a cross-party group of lawmakers called the “Group of Diet Members Who Visit Yasukuni Shrine Together” is scheduled to conduct a group visit.

However, since there are both supporters and opponents of visiting Yasukuni Shrine within Japan, some criticism has arisen regarding this visit and the offering of tributes. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno drew a line on the matter during a morning press conference, stating that Prime Minister Kishida’s offering was made “in a private capacity” and that “it is not a matter for the government to express an opinion on.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno added, “It is natural for any country to express deep respect for those who gave their lives for their country. Japan’s policy to continue strengthening relations with neighboring countries, including China and South Korea, remains unchanged.”