Ishiba Makes Ritual Offering at Yasukuni Shrine
Tokyo, April 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a "masakaki" ritual tree offering to Yasukuni Shrine at the start of the war-related Tokyo shrine's spring festival on Monday.
Ishiba has no plans to visit the Shinto shrine during the three-day festival, according to people familiar with the matter.
The shrine is regarded by neighboring countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors Class-A World War II criminals along with the war dead.
House of Representatives Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga, House of Councillors President Masakazu Sekiguchi and health minister Takamaro Fukuoka also offered masakaki trees to the shrine.
Ishiba made a masakaki offering to the shrine during its autumn festival in October last year. During the event, visits to the shrine by his cabinet ministers were not confirmed.
(2025/04/21-09:21)
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