Japanese defense minister not to visit Yasukuni Shrine on Aug.15 anniversary
2016-08-13 09:00:57 source：Global Times
August 12, 2016
"Japan's newly appointed Defense Minister Tomomi Inada will visit
Djibouti in Africa on a four-day trip from Saturday, which will prevent
her from visiting the notorious Yasukuni Shrine on the 71st anniversary
of the end of World War II on Aug.15, the defense ministry said on
Friday.
Her trip aims to encourage Self-Defense Forces members
who are engaged in an antipiracy mission off Somalia, according to the
ministry.
Inada, known for a close ally of Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe and a supporter of revamping Japan's pacifist constitution,
regularly visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on the Aug. 15
anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II before assuming the
post of defense minister last week following Abe's cabinet reshuffle on
Aug.3. So far, one minister of Abe's cabinet has visited the shrine
since last week's cabinet reshuffle. New reconstruction minister
Masahiro Imamura on Thursday visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors
millions of war dead as well as 14 convicted Class-A war criminals of
World War II."
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