菅首相、靖国に真榊奉納　安倍氏が参拝

　菅義偉首相は２１日、東京・九段北の靖国神社で始まった春季例大祭に合わせ、祭具の真榊（まさかき）を奉納した。２２日までの期間中、首相は参拝を見送る方針。
　一方、自民党の安倍晋三前首相は参拝した。その後、「国のために戦い、尊い命を犠牲にされたご英霊に尊崇の念を表するために参拝した」と記者団に語った。安倍氏は昨年９月の退任直後や同１０月にも参拝している。
　菅内閣では鷲尾英一郎外務副大臣が参拝。田村憲久厚生労働相、井上信治科学技術担当相も真榊を奉納した。（2021/04/21-11:30）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga made a ritual offering of a "masakaki" tree stand to war-related Yasukuni Shrine on Wednesday, when the shrine's two-day spring festival began.
   He plans not to pay a visit to the Shinto shrine in Tokyo during the festival.
   Health minister Norihisa Tamura and Shinji Inoue, science and technology policy minister, also offered masakaki tree stands.
   Yasukuni Shrine honors Class-A World War II criminals along with the war dead and is regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism in China, South Korea and elsewhere.
   In December 2013, then Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe paid a visit to the shrine. Since then, no incumbent prime minister has visited the shrine, reflecting consideration given to sensitivities in China and South Korea.