Two Japanese Cabinet ministers visit notorious Yasukuni Shrine

A ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo is placed on the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors millions of war dead as well as 14 convicted Class-A war criminals. [Photo/IC]

TOKYO - Two ministers of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet visited the war-linked notorious Yasukuni Shrine during its annual four-day autumn festival on Sunday, local media reported.

Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki, who joined the cabinet last week, visited the shrine in early Sunday morning, making him the first member of the new Abe Cabinet to visit the shrine which honors millions of war dead as well as 14 convicted Class-A war criminals.

Iwaki's visit was followed by a visit of Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi. The 54-year-old minister is a regular visitor to the notorious shrine. She also visited the shrine during its spring festival and on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II on Aug. 15 this year.

On Saturday, Abe sent a "masakaki" tree offering to the shrine under the title of the prime minister. Though refrained from visiting the shrine, the move by Abe, who is planning summit talks with China and South Korea in early November in Seoul, is still deemed provocative.