Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead on Saturday, his first visit since December 2013.
Abe announced the visit on his Twitter account along with a picture of himself at the shrine, just days after Yosihide Suga succeeded him as Japan’s leader.
“Today, I paid my respects at the Yasukuni Shrine and reported to the spirits of the war dead my resignation as prime minister,” the 65-year-old tweeted.
本日、靖国神社を参拝し、今月16日に内閣総理大臣を退任したことをご英霊にご報告いたしました。 pic.twitter.com/ZpyrtLrpRE
— 安倍晋三 (@AbeShinzo) September 19, 2020
Abe, who is Japan’s longest-serving leader, had stepped down owing to health problems.
It should be mentioned here that the shrine is seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan’s past military aggression.
