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Abe makes offering to Yasukuni shrine, angering China, S Korea

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni shrine, seen by critics as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, angering both South Korea and China yesterday and putting regional ties under further strain.

A wooden sign reading 'Prime Minister Shinzo Abe' is seen on a ritual offering from Mr Abe to Yasukuni at the shrine in Tokyo. PHOTO: REUTERS

A wooden sign reading 'Prime Minister Shinzo Abe' is seen on a ritual offering from Mr Abe to Yasukuni at the shrine in Tokyo. PHOTO: REUTERS

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TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni shrine, seen by critics as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, angering both South Korea and China yesterday and putting regional ties under further strain.

The offering by Mr Abe — who visited the shrine last December, but did not turn up in person this time — was sent just before United States President Barack Obama begins a three-day visit to Japan tomorrow.

The US said it is disappointed with Mr Abe’s shrine visit last year, which infuriated neighbours Beijing and Seoul.

A key focus of Mr Obama’s trip to Asia this week will be encouraging increased cooperation between Japan and South Korea— Washington’s closest allies in the region.

Mr Abe presented a “masakaki” sacred tree branch, along with a wooden plate carrying his name and title as part of one of the shrine’s key annual events — the spring festival held from April 21 to 23. Two Japanese Cabinet ministers also prayed at the shrine recently.

Japanese officials yesterday said Mr Abe made the offering as a private individual and the government was not in a position to comment. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it “would not in any way affect the summit talks (with Mr Obama)”.

Yasukuni honours 14 Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War II, along with Japan’s war dead. The shrine has been a flashpoint for China and South Korea, which suffered under Japanese occupation and colonisation in the 20th century.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Beijing had already lodged a protest with Tokyo, adding that Mr Abe’s move reflected Japan’s mistaken attitude towards history.

China on April 12 protested after Internal Affairs Minister Yoshitaka Shindo visited the shrine.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry also responded angrily. “We deplore the fact that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has romanticised Japanese colonialism and its war of aggression by paying tribute to the Yasukuni shrine,” it said in a statement. AGENCIES

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