Nichida Cabinet Postpones Yasukuni Shrine Visit... Appears Mindful of Korea and China

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (岸田文雄) offered tribute at Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined, on the 17th, marking his first visit since taking office. The tribute "Masakaki" offered by Prime Minister Kishida (left). Masakaki refers to evergreen trees used as offerings on the sacred stand or altar.

On the 4th, following the inauguration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet, it was reported that no current ministers personally visited Yasukuni Shrine for the autumn grand festival.

According to Kyodo News on the 18th, due to COVID-19, the Yasukuni Shrine Autumn Reitaisai (grand festival), which was shortened by one day compared to previous years and held over two days from the 17th, saw no ministers from the Kishida administration paying visits.

The Reitaisai, held in spring (April) and autumn (October), is one of the most important ceremonies at Yasukuni Shrine throughout the year, alongside the Pacific War defeat memorial on August 15.

On the first day of the festival, the 17th, Prime Minister Kishida offered a "masakaki" (a ritual offering) in the name of "Prime Minister of the Cabinet Fumio Kishida."

Kishida’s method of sending offerings without personally visiting follows the precedent set by former Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga.

After entering his second term in December 2012, former Prime Minister Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine in December the following year and thereafter sent offerings at major events until his resignation in September last year, instead of visiting personally.

This is because South Korea and China, which suffered under Japanese aggression during the modernization period, have strongly opposed visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Pacific War leaders, including Hideki Tojo (1884?1948), are enshrined.

Former Prime Minister Suga, like Abe, only sent offerings to Yasukuni Shrine during the spring and autumn Reitaisai and on August 15 during his tenure.

During the previous Suga cabinet as well, no ministers visited the shrine during the spring or autumn Reitaisai.

Kyodo News analyzed that the absence of current ministers visiting Yasukuni Shrine during this year’s Autumn Reitaisai appears to be a measure taken to avoid affecting the diplomacy of the newly launched Kishida administration.

However, among key members of the Liberal Democratic Party, there was a direct visitor. Sanae Takaichi, the LDP Policy Research Council Chairperson and one of the three top leaders of the LDP, forcefully visited Yasukuni Shrine on the 18th.

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