Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will not visit the Yasukuni Shrine that honors Japanese war criminals of World War II during the shrine's spring festival in April, Xinhua news agency reported citing reports from Japan's Kyodo News Agency. However, Abe is mulling to offer a ‘masakaki' tree traditionally used in rituals at the shrine, said the reports. Abe did not visit the controversial shrine during his first term as prime minister from 2006 in a move to mend Japan-China relations that plunged due to his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits. Visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese leaders and lawmakers draw strong opposition from China and South Korea that suffered Japan's invasion in the World War II. Last October, as the newly elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party, Abe visited the shrine during its autumn festival to gain support from the right wing. BN
