Overview
- On the festival’s first day, Sanae Takaichi made a tamagushi offering to Yasukuni, paid from her own funds and labeled “LDP President.”
- She is expected to be nominated prime minister on Tuesday, a timeline seen as shaping the decision to avoid an in‑person visit.
- Yasukuni honors Class‑A war criminals alongside Japan’s war dead, a combination that frequently triggers criticism from China and South Korea.
- Outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a masakaki tree stand offering, and no Cabinet minister visits were confirmed during the three‑day rite.
- International engagements later this month include conferences and a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, raising the stakes of any shrine appearance.