A wooden plaque showing the name of Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is placed near a Masakaki tree that Takaichi sent as a ritual offering for the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine, seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, during the shrine’s biannual festival held in the spring and autumn, in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) to a shrine honouring the country’s war dead that has long angered neighbouring countries, but did not visit in person, media reports and an unidentified source close to the matter said.
The Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo is dedicated to 2.5 million war dead, mostly Japanese, who perished in conflicts since the late 19th century.
Published – April 21, 2026 03:18 pm IST