Sending the Offerings or Visiting Yasukuni Shrine?

     Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not visit the Yasukuni Shrine during annual spring festival of Yasukuni Shrine, the place that honors Japan’s war dead including convicted war criminals during World War II. Instead of his visit, he sent Masakaki (offering) to the Shrine as the name of “Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.”

    It was reported that he denied himself visiting the shrine since President Obama who has been worrying about the deteriorating relationship between Japan and Korea will visit Japan on 23^rd and also since the United States has been disappointed with Mr. Abe’s visiting Shrine in December, 2013. Some other officials visited Yasukuni Shrine for this annual spring festival.

     From this, South Korea criticized Japan by saying that such action is against the government’s approval of Murayama statement, which upheld that Japan had conquered other countries and had damaged them during the war. Furthermore, Korean Foreign Affairs postponed Korean Foreign Minister’s visiting Japan who was supposed to visit in April by claiming that Mr. Abe's sending his offering is "anachronism that ignores the history. The responsible action based on accurate historical understanding is necessary.”

     Prime Minister Abe should have not sent offering to the Shrine, since Japan has recently been criticized against his visiting Shrine last year from the world, and that even caused the disappointing the United States. Nevertheless, he even sent offering with his title: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 

     Even though governmental action with Yasukuni Shrine causes controversy, it is clear that sending gift to there as the gift from Japanese top leader absolutely cause resentment from the countries that have historical controversy with Japan and even Japanese allies because this action is seen as the Japanese leader ignores historical cruelty that Japan had done. From this incident, at least Prime Minister obviously should refrain from taking any action for Yasukuni Shrine; otherwise public diplomacy and even diplomacy would become deteriorate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/world/asia/a-war-shrine-gesture-in-japan-complicates-relations-in-asia.html?ref=asia

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASGM2202E_S3A420C1EB1000/ (in Japanese)

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFS21006_R20C14A4MM0000/ (in Japanese)