Japan’s Takaichi sends Yasukuni shrine offering, South Korea expresses ‘regret’

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering on Tuesday to a shrine honouring the country’s war dead that has long angered neighbouring countries but did not visit in person, media reports and an unidentified source close to the matter said.

The Yasukuni shrine in central Tokyo is dedicated to 2.5 million war dead, mostly Japanese, who perished in conflicts since the late 19th century.

That number includes senior military and political figures convicted by an international tribunal of war crimes before and during World War II.

A Japanese prime minister has not visited the shrine since 2013, but Takaichi’s predecessors Shigeru Ishiba and Fumio Kishida regularly sent offerings for the biannual spring and autumn festivals.

Dozens of lawmakers pay their respects every year during the festivals and in August for the anniversary of the emperor announcing Japan’s surrender in 1945.