On October 17, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba participated in the seasonal festival at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo by offering a ritual object known as “manasakaki” in his capacity as the “Cabinet Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.” This move follows recent reports from Chinese media that highlighted Ishiba’s earlier statement expressing his intention not to attend the Yasukuni Shrine’s autumn festival, prompting Chinese netizens to accuse him of hypocrisy.
According to Kyodo News, Ishiba made the offerings despite stating that he would not personally visit the shrine during the festival. These seasonal festivals in April and October are considered significant religious events at Yasukuni Shrine. Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also refrained from visiting during these festivals while opting to offer the manasakaki.
The bipartisan lawmakers’ coalition known as the “National Diet Association for Visiting Yasukuni Shrine” previously announced that collective visits would be postponed due to the ongoing House of Representatives elections.
Reuters noted that offering ritual items at Yasukuni Shrine has historically drawn criticism from both South Korea and China. During the spring festival held in April, former Prime Minister Kishida followed tradition by offering manasakaki without attending the shrine; this decision disappointed South Korea, which urged Japanese leaders to show remorse for the historical events of wartime.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressed strong opposition to Japan’s actions regarding Yasukuni Shrine, emphasizing that China had formally lodged protests with Japan through diplomatic channels. Wang pointed out that Yasukuni Shrine symbolizes Japanese militarism’s role in initiating aggressive wars, housing 14 Class A war criminals responsible for those actions. He urged Japan to adhere to its commitment of “acknowledging and reflecting on its history of aggression” and to sever ties with militarism, demonstrating this through concrete actions to regain the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.
Early today, news outlets like CCTV and Global Times disseminated this information, sparking intense reactions among Chinese netizens on social media, especially in light of Ishiba’s previous claims about not attending the autumn festival. Comments ranged from accusations of double standards to questioning his sincerity in addressing historical issues.
