Yomiuri Shimbun: "Judged to Avoid Diplomatic Conflict with South Korea and China"
Sanae Takaichi, President of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is reportedly considering postponing her visit to the Yasukuni Shrine for the Autumn Grand Festival scheduled to take place from October 17 to 19.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "President Takaichi believes that visiting the Yasukuni Shrine after taking office could provoke backlash from South Korea and China, and has determined that the issue should not be escalated into a diplomatic problem."
President Takaichi is known as a hardline right-wing politician who has visited the Yasukuni Shrine-where Class-A war criminals from World War II are enshrined-even during her tenure as a cabinet minister on occasions such as the anniversary of Japan's defeat and the spring and autumn Grand Festivals.
During last year's party leadership election, she strongly expressed her intention to continue visiting the shrine, stating, "Yasukuni Shrine is a place I value deeply, and I want to continue paying my respects to those who died following national policy."
However, during this year's party leadership election, she took a somewhat more cautious stance, saying she would "make an appropriate judgment."
On the day she took office as president, October 4, Saito Tetsuo, leader of the centrist-conservative Komeito Party, pointed out three issues: visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, handling of the slush fund scandal, and excessive exclusion of foreigners. He expressed concern, saying, "These matters cause great anxiety and concern among our party's supporters," and warned, "Unless these are resolved, there will be no coalition government."
After an additional meeting with President Takaichi the previous day, Representative Saito commented that, regarding the Yasukuni Shrine visit and foreigner policy, "There were many areas where we could share understanding thanks to detailed explanations."
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