Japan PM Takaichi eyes forgoing Yasukuni visit for anniv. of WWII end

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is contemplating skipping the visit to the Yasukuni shrine to commemorate the end of World War II on Saturday, according to sources familiar with the matter. This potential decision could exacerbate tensions with China and strain relations with South Korea, both nations that were victims of Japan's wartime aggression.

Takaichi, a conservative with hawkish foreign policies, would face significant repercussions for visiting the Tokyo shrine, which is a source of diplomatic friction with neighboring countries due to its honoring of wartime leaders convicted of war crimes. Japan's invasion of China prior to World War II and its colonization of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 have further strained relations.

Despite regularly visiting the shrine during her time as a Cabinet minister, Takaichi has not done so since becoming the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and prime minister in October. The last sitting prime minister to visit Yasukuni was Takaichi's political mentor, Shinzo Abe, in 2013, which drew strong criticism from Asian neighbors.