Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 15 - 21 [POLITICS]

Three female Abe Cabinet members visit Yasukuni Shrine

Three female ministers of the Abe Cabinet on October 18 visited the war-glorifying Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of its biannual ceremony.

The three ministers are Internal Affairs Minister Takaichi Sanae, National Public Safety Commission Chair Yamatani Eriko, and Minister in charge of Female Empowerment Arimura Haruko. They are, as well as is Abe, key members of the rightist organization called the Japan Conference (Nippon Kaigi) justifying Japan’s past war of aggression and calling for the revision of the Japanese Constitution.

Asked by reporters about neighboring countries’ criticisms about their Yasukuni visits, Arimura said that these nations should be careful about their conduct.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki later on the day published a comment in protest against the three ministers’ visit. Regarding the pro-Yasukuni force’s move to gloss over Japan’s past war of aggression, Yamashita said, “The move is in contradiction with the very basis of post-war international politics, causing Japan’s serious diplomatic stalemate with China and South Korea.”

On the previous day, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the House of Councilors, and Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Shiozaki Yasuhisa offered ritual offerings, masakaki trees, to the shrine. The Chinese and South Korean governments protested against their acts.


Past related articles
> Abe Cabinet members visit war-glorifying shrine [August 16, 2014]
> Despite fierce criticism, Abe again offers ceremonial tree to military shrine [April 22, 2014]
> JCP Chair Shii comments on Abe’s shrine visit [December 26, 2013]