Suga, Japanese Prime Minister, Offers Tribute at Yasukuni Shrine

Avoiding International Criticism by Offering Tribute Instead of Visiting
Message Echoing Former Abe Administration's Policy

[Asia Economy International Department Reporter] On the 17th, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga offered a tribute at the autumn grand festival (Chukei Yetae) of Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the memorial tablets of 14 Class A war criminals from the Pacific War.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

During the 7 years and 8 months of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's second term, Suga, who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary, neither visited Yasukuni Shrine nor sent tributes. However, he offered a tribute at this year's autumn grand festival of Yasukuni Shrine, marking his first time since becoming Prime Minister.

This is analyzed as an attempt to avoid international criticism over a direct visit while aiming for the practical effect of paying respects.

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