Japan Cabinet Office says "will judge appropriately" on Abe's Yasukuni visit question... likely to send offerings

Abe Sends Offerings After 2013 Visit... Attention on Whether Japanese Cabinet Members Will Visit

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Regarding whether Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Yasukuni Shrine on the upcoming August 15, Korea’s Liberation Day and Japan’s defeat anniversary, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on the 11th, "It is a matter for the Prime Minister to judge appropriately."

According to Sankei Shimbun and others, Secretary Suga responded this way when asked at a regular briefing whether Prime Minister Abe would visit the shrine. He also avoided giving a clear answer about his own visit to Yasukuni Shrine, saying "the same applies." The Japanese government has consistently given the same response regarding Prime Minister Abe’s visits to Yasukuni Shrine.

Prime Minister Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine on December 26, 2013, marking the first anniversary of his return to power, but since then, he has sent offerings or the equivalent money on the defeat anniversary and during the spring and autumn festivals without visiting the shrine. Jiji Press reported the day before that Abe would refrain from visiting the shrine this year on the defeat anniversary and instead pay privately for a type of offering called 'tamagushi' in the name of the Liberal Democratic Party president. Sankei also expected that Abe would not visit but would offer offerings.

Attention is also focused on whether other Japanese cabinet members will visit. According to Kyodo News, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, Justice Minister Yuko Mori, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kazuyoshi Akaba, Minister in charge of Science and Technology Naokazu Takemoto, and Minister for Regional Revitalization Seiko Kitamura stated they do not plan to visit. Defense Minister Taro Kono has also denied the possibility of visiting so far.

However, Sanae Takaichi, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, who has visited Yasukuni Shrine several times, said, "I will refrain from answering about personal schedules," and Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Koichi Hagiuda and Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said they "would like to judge appropriately," so the possibility of their visits cannot be completely ruled out.

Meanwhile, in a public opinion survey conducted by the Japan Public Opinion Research Association targeting Japanese voters in June and July this year regarding the 75 years since the end of the war, 58% of respondents opposed the Prime Minister’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine, surpassing the 37% who answered that he should visit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.