Time Unfit for It

Mainichi Shimbun reported that Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, gave up his idea of visiting Yasukuni Shrine on August 15^th, the anniversary day of ending World War II. Although situation inside and outside would not been allowing him doing that, Abe has still not said whether he would go or restrain. The victory in the election surely makes him optimistic in implementing his political agenda. The question here is whether he can overcome the criticisms from victim’s families.

The main reason why Abe insists on visiting the shrine and praying for war victims is not based on his ideological belief, but on political reason that he needs support from his party’s traditional political basis of war-victims groups including Japan War-Bereaved Families Association. The comment at his inauguration about “extreme regret” on not to have visited the shrine while he was the Prime Minister between 2006 and 2007 was directed to those families.

However, the sweeping victory in the election of the House of Councillors gave him time to wait for the best timing to do that. Even if he loses a part of support from his political basis, he can afford to promote policies such as economic relief and security enhancement. The Constitution of Japan prohibits religious activity of Prime Minister in Article 20, which reads “The State and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity.”

Enshrining A-class war criminals, Yasukuni Shrine has been criticized by China and Korea as a symbol of militarized Japan. It is likely that those nations raise its level of resentment against Japan when Abe chooses the option to visit the shrine. After the election, Abe’s first priority in diplomacy is to resume leaders talk with China and South Korea. It is not the time for him to fall in a gridlock by his insistence on his personal agenda.

Pressure from the ally should not be ignored. “Every concerned party needs to take necessary measures for easing tension over the issues in East China Sea,” told U.S. Vice-President, Joe Biden, in the meeting with Abe in Singapore. “Japan has the most important relationship with China,” answered Abe. It is obvious that visiting Yasukuni harms Japan-U.S. alliance when he ignores its impact on China and throw East Asia into a confusion.

After all, visiting the shrine has no political benefit this summer. However, some ministers in Abe’s Cabinet are preparing for doing it. Even in the visit by ministers, South Korea refrained from sending Foreign Minister this spring. If Abe cannot stop his colleagues’ visit, he will be asked his political responsibility to have chosen them as ministers.