The South Korean government on the 17th expressed deep disappointment and regret over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's sending of a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine.
In a spokesperson's commentary released the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government "once again expresses deep disappointment and regret that responsible leading figures in Japan have again sent offerings to or repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past wars of aggression and enshrines war criminals." The ministry added that it "urges Japan's responsible leaders to squarely face history and to demonstrate through action humble reflection and sincere remorse over past history, and reiterates that this is an important foundation for building future-oriented Korea-Japan relations based on trust between the two countries and their peoples."
Local media including Kyodo News and NHK reported that Takaichi sent an offering under the name "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi" to coincide with the Yasukuni Shrine's autumn festival, which opened the same day. The offering is known as a "masakaki."
Kyodo News, citing an official close to the prime minister, reported that Takaichi does not plan to visit the shrine during the three-day festival, which runs through the 19th. The news agency interpreted the decision as an attempt to avoid diplomatic friction with South Korea, China and others over such visits.
The Yasukuni Shrine honors the spirits of about 2.466 million people who died in Japan's civil conflicts around the Meiji Restoration and in the various wars Japan waged. About 90% of them are linked to the Pacific War.
Takaichi had visited the Yasukuni Shrine during the spring and autumn festivals and on Aug. 15 — the anniversary of Korea's liberation and Japan's defeat in the war — until taking office as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in October last year. She has not visited the shrine since becoming prime minister.