Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary's Yasukuni Shrine Visit: "Expression of Respect Is Natural"

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The autumn festival of Yasukuni Shrine, the Chukei Reitaisai, is scheduled for the 17th to 18th, and attention is focused on whether key figures of the Kishida Fumio administration will pay their respects.

If cabinet members visit Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals of the Pacific War are enshrined, it could escalate into diplomatic conflicts with South Korea or China.

On the 17th, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Isozaki Yoshihiko said at a press conference, when asked if he plans to visit Yasukuni Shrine during the Chukei Reitaisai period, "I will make an appropriate judgment," adding, "It is natural to express respect to those who gave their lives for their country, regardless of the nation."

He added, "Japan's policy to strengthen relations with neighboring countries, including China and South Korea, will not change."

Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo, who has a history of visiting Yasukuni Shrine as a cabinet member, did not clearly state whether he would visit this time, saying, "I will make an appropriate judgment."

The 'Parliamentarians Group Visiting Yasukuni Shrine Together,' composed of ruling and opposition lawmakers, decided to postpone a group visit and send only two representatives to pay respects, considering that election campaigns will intensify following the dissolution of the National Assembly on the 14th.

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