Japan’s Abe to Avoid War Shrine on WWII Anniversary, Jiji Says

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is planning to stay away from the controversial Yasukuni shrine on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, Jiji Press reported Sunday.

He will instead follow his usual custom of sending a gift to the shrine via an aide on the Aug. 15 date when Japan announced its surrender, the news agency said.

Steering clear of the shrine on a sensitive date will help avoid further inflaming tensions with China and South Korea, where many say Japan has failed to atone sufficiently for its militarist past. The shrine honors 14 men convicted as Class A war criminals after World War II, among other war dead.

Abe Draws China Anger With Visit to Japan’s Yasukuni War Shrine

Abe has made one public visit to Yasukuni since becoming prime minister in 2012, which sparked criticism including from Japan’s ally, the U.S.

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