Four top LDP executives to make group visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15

Four senior officials from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are reportedly planning a group visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat. The Sankei Shimbun reported on August 14 that this collective pilgrimage by the LDP's 'top four' executives is seen as a strategic move to galvanize the party's conservative base as it prepares to revise key security documents later this year.

The officials slated to visit include LDP Secretary-General Suzuki Shunichi, General Council Chair Arimura Haruko, Policy Research Council Chair Kobayashi Takayuki, and Election Strategy Committee Chair Nishimura Yasutoshi. While individual LDP politicians have visited Yasukuni Shrine before, a joint visit by these four top executives is considered highly unusual, according to Sankei.

The LDP stated that the visit is "entirely from the party's standpoint" and that "mourning the war dead with all one's heart is an important matter." However, the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines over 2.46 million war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War, is a frequent target of criticism both domestically and internationally. Many view visits by Japanese politicians to the shrine as an endorsement or glorification of Japan's wartime aggression.

Analysts suggest this coordinated visit aims to consolidate support among the LDP's staunch conservative faction, particularly as the party moves to revise its "three security documents" – the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Plan to Strengthen Defense Capabilities. These revisions are expected to include measures like acquiring long-range missiles and introducing advanced drones, significantly enhancing Japan's counter-attack capabilities and its "war-sustaining power." The potential re-examination of Japan's "three principles of nuclear armament" remains a contentious issue, with some within the LDP advocating for nuclear capabilities.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, despite his past regular visits to Yasukuni Shrine before becoming Prime Minister, is not expected to make a personal visit this time. He had previously pledged to visit if he became Prime Minister but has since refrained, reportedly to avoid straining relations with South Korea and other allies. The last sitting Japanese Prime Minister to visit Yasukuni Shrine was Shinzo Abe in 2013. Kyodo News warned that a Prime Minister's visit could cause "serious cracks" in the trilateral alliance between Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

“

It is entirely from the party's standpoint. Mourning the war dead with all one's heart is an important matter.