TOKYO -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent religious offerings Tuesday rather than visiting a Tokyo shrine that honours Japan's war dead, including convicted Second World War leaders, a move less likely to draw controversy on his Southeast Asian trip and an upcoming U.S. visit.
Previous visits by Japanese leaders to pray at Yasukuni Shrine have drawn sharp rebukes from China and South Korea. Abe's last visit to Yasukuni, in December 2013, also was criticized by Washington.
The shrine said Abe sent "masakaki" offerings, with a wooden plate showing his name and title. He sent similar offerings last spring and fall at the shrine, which honours war criminals including wartime leader Hideki Tojo among the 2.5 million war dead.
Abe's move comes at a sensitive time as he has expressed hopes of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping during an Asia-African conference this week in Indonesia, which will draw more than 100 leaders. No meeting between the two has been set.
"If there is an opportunity to hold talks in a natural way, I'm open," Abe told reporters before heading to Indonesia. "I hope to further improve our relations."
The shrine's spring festival will end just as he returns Thursday evening. Though the shrine is open to visits any time of year, politicians customarily visit during the spring and fall festivals or on the Aug. 15 anniversary of Japan's surrender ending the Second World War.
After he returns from Indonesia, Abe soon will leave on an eight-day U.S. tour. He will talk with President Barack Obama and speak to a joint meeting of Congress, where he is expected to touch on Japan's wartime history as part of Japan-U.S. relations since the war. The visit is expected to showcase Abe's commitment to stronger ties with Washington, especially in national security.
Anything Abe says this year on history will be closely watched because it marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
As victims of Japan's wartime aggression, neighbouring countries see the shrine as a symbol of Japanese militarism. They also see visits by Japanese political leaders as a sign of Japan's lack of remorse over its atrocities.
China and South Korea have repeatedly cautioned against Abe's perceived push for historical revisionism.
In a news program on BS Fuji on Monday, Abe said he does not plan to repeat a landmark apology made in a 1995 statement by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama marking the 50th anniversary of the war's end. Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made a similar apology in 2005 on the 60th anniversary. Abe has promised to keep that as his government's official view.
"I don't see any reason why I have to write that again," Abe said. "If we merely repeat the same words, we don't need a new statement."
Abe's statement, to be issued on the anniversary of Japan's surrender, is expected to focus more on Japan's postwar rise and future contribution to the world.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Japan should "squarely face and reflect on the history of aggression, properly handle the issue and gain trust from its Asian neighbours and the global community with concrete actions."
Japan's health minister, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, and the heads of both houses of parliament sent similar offerings to the shrine on Tuesday. Dozens of lawmakers are expected to pray at the shrine on Wednesday.
Associated Press news assistant Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.
