(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Lee Do-yeon, Correspondent Cho Sung-mi = Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi donated additional tribute money on the 19th, despite expressions of regret from Korea and other countries over the offering of tributes to the Yasukuni Shrine.
According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Takaichi donated the price of an offering called 'Tamagu Shiryo' at his own expense through Liberal Democratic Party General Affairs Chairman Hiroshi Kajiyama in conjunction with the Yasukuni Shrine's fall annual ancestral rite on this day.
General Affairs Chairman Kajiyama told local reporters that he paid the tribute price in accordance with the wishes of Liberal Democratic Party President Takaichi Takaichi.
When questions were raised about whether the donation was in Prime Minister Takaichi's capacity as president of the Liberal Democratic Party or as a private person, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, a spokesperson for the Japanese government, responded at a regular press conference that afternoon, "I understand it is in his capacity as a private person."
At the same time, he added, "I recognize that it is not an issue on which the government should express its opinion regarding Prime Minister Takaichi's payment of tribute money."
On the 17th, Prime Minister Takaichi offered an offering called 'Masakaki' in the name of 'Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi'.
The Korean government expressed regret over this, and the Chinese government criticized it, defining it as a 'provocation against the post-war international order'.
Prime Minister Takaichi reportedly plans to hold off on visiting shrines during this annual festival.
Last April, during the Yasukuni Shrine spring annual festival, Prime Minister Takaichi held off visiting the shrine and offered samples of Masakaki and Tamagu in succession.
On August 15th, Korea's Liberation Day and the day of Japan's defeat in the war, the price of the tribute was donated at private expense, and instead of paying homage in person, a 'Yo-bow' was performed by bowing to the shrine from afar.
Regarding whether Prime Minister Takaichi also bowed at the annual fall festival, Minister Kihara avoided giving a direct answer, saying, "I recognize that this is not a matter for which the government should respond as it is an individual act of the prime minister."
Among the cabinet members, Minoru Kiuchi, Minister of Economy and Finance, visited Yasukuni on the 17th, and on the same day, Takayuki Kobayashi, Chairman of the Government Affairs Research Committee, also visited Yasukuni.
On the 18th, Kenji Wakamiya, the Prime Minister's adviser on national security, visited the shrine.
Then, on the 19th, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Tatsunori Ibayashi and Liberal Democratic Party Election Committee Chairman Yasutoshi Nishimura visited Yasukuni Shrine.
In addition, lawmakers from the non-partisan alliance of lawmakers, the National Assembly Members' Group to Visit Yasukuni Shrine together, also visited the shrine on this day, along with right-wing True Justice Party leader Sohei Kamiya and Japan Conservative Party leader Naoki Hyakuta.
The Chinese government strongly criticized Prime Minister Takaichi's offering of offerings to the Yasukuni Shrine and the subsequent visits by Japanese politicians and announced that it had sternly protested to Japan.
In response to a related question at a regular briefing on the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maoning said, "China firmly opposes and strongly condemns Japan's negative moves," and added, "We have already submitted strict negotiations (protests through diplomatic channels) to Japan and strongly protested."
Spokesperson Mao pointed out that "Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol that Japanese militarism unleashed a war of foreign aggression," and that "Japanese leaders and politicians still worship Yasukuni Shrine despite knowing this fact."
