Takaichi sends Yasukuni offering; China, South Korea condemn — SkimNews
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- Takaichi sent a "masakaki" evergreen-twig offering to Yasukuni Shrine on Oct 17 at the start of its three-day autumn festival; a source close to her said she is unlikely to visit in person during the rite.
- South Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing "deep disappointment and regret" over the offering, noting the move despite improving bilateral ties fostered by recent leader-level dialogue.
- China's Embassy in Tokyo said Beijing "strongly condemns the negative moves," claiming homage by Japan's leader paves the way for the country's "remilitarisation."
- Takaichi has refrained from visiting Yasukuni since becoming PM on Oct 21, 2025, though she had routinely visited as a minister; the last sitting PM to visit was her political mentor Shinzo Abe in December 2013.
- Economic Minister Minoru Kiuchi visited the shrine in person on Oct 17, telling reporters he "renewed my pledge to renounce war"; House Speaker Eisuke Mori and Senate President Masakazu Sekiguchi sent similar offerings, and a cross-party group of lawmakers plans to visit on Oct 19.
- Yasukuni Shrine enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals — including wartime PM Hideki Tojo, executed in 1948 — alongside millions of war dead, with the war criminals added in 1978.
Why it matters: This is Takaichi's first Yasukuni-linked act since taking office Oct 21, 2025, and follows her November 2025 comments suggesting Japan could act militarily if Taiwan is attacked — keeping the China file open while she preserves space with Seoul, which only recently re-engaged on wartime forced-labour talks. The proxy-offering compromise invites a fresh round of Beijing "remilitarisation" rhetoric without repeating Abe's 2013 full visit.
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