(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an offering to Tokyo's controversial war-related shrine on Tuesday but refrained from visiting there.
Abe offered a potted plant under his name and title of prime minister to the shrine, which honors 14 World War II Class-A war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead. Abe, who is to leave here for Jakarta in the evening to attend the Asian-African Summit, unlikely to personally visit Yasukuni Shrine during a three-day spring festival through Thursday. For China, South Korea and other Asian countries, the Yasukuni Shrine is a symbol of Japan's militant past with these countries, and consider visits to it by leading Japanese politicians insensitive and insulting.
Abe's visit to Yasukuni Shrine in December 2013 drew strong criticism from China and South Korea, and also disappointed the US, which said Japan's leadership has taken an action that would exacerbate tensions with Japan's neighbors. He was the first premier in office to visit the controversial shrine since 2006.
At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga emphasized that the premier's offering was made in his capacity as a private person. "He made the offer in private capacity, thus, the government should not comment on his act," the top government spokesman said.
Japan's relations with China and South Korea have been strained in recent years due to a territorial dispute and differences over wartime history. But Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit meeting in November in a sign that Sino-Japanese relations may improve.
It was their first bilateral summit since both Abe and Xi came to power in 2012. However, Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye have not held bilateral talks since they came to power amid lingering tensions.
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