Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Monday, as the shrine, seen by Japan's neighbors as a symbol of its past militarism, began a three-day spring festival. Ishiba, however, is not expected to visit the shrine during the festival, according to sources familiar with the matter, apparently because of diplomatic considerations at a time when Japan's ties with China and South Korea have been improving. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Ishiba has expressed his readiness to take a fresh look at why Japan went to war and draw lessons from it.
Published at: 2025-04-20 21:38:40
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