4 Japan Ministers Visit Yasukuni Shrine on War Anniversary

Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--Four Japanese ministers visited Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday, the country's 81st war-end anniversary, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a cash offering to the war-linked shrine from her own money in her capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The four were Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Hitoshi Kikawada, the minister of state for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs, economic and fiscal policy minister Minoru Kiuchi, and economic security minister Kimi Onoda.

LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki, who delivered Takaichi's offering, also visited the shrine, along with Yasutoshi Nishimura, the party's election campaign chief.

Suzuki later told reporters that he respected the prime minister's thoughts about the enshrined souls of soldiers and others. He also said that his visit with Nishimura demonstrated the party's policy of "continuing visits to Yasukuni Shrine."

Kikawada and Kiuchi told reporters separately that they prayed for peace for the souls. Koizumi and Onoda did not respond to reporters.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]