Japan’s Shinzo Abe sends ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine ahead of summit with China, South Korea

The Japanese prime minister did not attend the war shrine but sent a ceremonial tree

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A wooden sign which reads ”Prime Minister Shinzo Abe” is seen on a ritual offering, a masakaki tree, from Abe to the Yasukuni Shrine. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 17 Oct 2015Updated: 12:44pm, 17 Oct 2015

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering on Saturday to mark the annual autumn festival at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by many in Asia, Japanese media said.

The move comes as China and South Korea, who both have bitter memories of their neighbour's military past, and Japan are arranging a trilateral summit, the first leaders’ meeting since May 2012.

Japanese media said the talks would be on November 1 in Seoul.

Abe sent a “masakaki” ceremonial tree to the shrine, Kyodo News agency reported. By not visiting the shrine in person Abe appears to be hoping to avoid derailing the thaw in ties, while also giving a nod to his conservative base.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not attend the Yasukuni Shrine to avoid harming ties in the region. Photo: Kyodo

A December 2013 visit by Abe to Yasukuni angered China and South Korea, where memories of Japan’s occupation and colonialism before and during the second world war persist.

Recently both Beijing and Seoul have signalled a desire for improved relations with their neighbour.

Japan’s Shinzo Abe sends ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine ahead of summit with China, South Korea

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Japanese prime minister did not attend the war shrine but sent a ceremonial tree

The Japanese prime minister did not attend the war shrine but sent a ceremonial tree