The key facts

  • Sanae Takaichi sent a personal monetary offering to Yasukuni Shrine for the autumn festival
  • Earlier, a ritual masakaki offering was sent on her behalf as head of the LDP
  • Yasukuni Shrine has traditionally drawn diplomatic criticism from China and South Korea

Prime Minister's offering and ministers' visits

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday sent a monetary offering to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo in connection with the shrine's autumn festival, Kyodo news agency reported. According to the agency, the offering was made from the prime minister's personal funds. On Saturday, Takaichi, acting as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, sent a ritual masakaki offering to the shrine — branches of evergreen plants. According to media reports, the shrine was also separately visited by Land Minister Tatsunori Ibayashi and head of the LDP's election strategy committee Yasutoshi Nishimura.

Diplomatic sensitivity

Yasukuni has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and neighboring countries, primarily China and South Korea: the shrine honors millions of war dead, including convicted war criminals. Previous visits by Japanese leaders to the shrine drew sharp criticism from Beijing and Seoul. By the end of World War II, Japan had occupied vast territories of China, and Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.

Context of relations with China

The event takes place against the backdrop of strained Japan-China relations following Takaichi's remarks about a year ago that an attack on Taiwan could prompt Japan's Self-Defense Forces to respond in support of the United States. China considers Taiwan its breakaway province that must be reunified with the country, while Taiwan insists on its independence.