Japan Agriculture Min. Koizumi Visits Yasukuni Shrine

   Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Friday, the 80th anniversary of the country's surrender in World War II.
   Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a "tamagushi" ritual offering at the Shinto shrine in his capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party while refraining from paying a visit. He paid for the offering through a representative.
   Koizumi's visit marked the sixth consecutive year of a Japanese cabinet minister visiting the war-related shrine on the anniversary.
   The shrine, located in the Japanese capital's Chiyoda Ward, is regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by neighboring countries such as China and South Korea as it enshrines Class-A World War II criminals along with the war dead.
   It is the first time that a minister of the Ishiba cabinet was confirmed to have visited Yasukuni Shrine on special occasions, including its spring and autumn festivals as well as the war-end anniversary. Ishiba took office last October.

(2025/08/15-14:14)