岸田首相が靖国神社に真榊奉納　秋季例大祭、参拝はせず

　岸田文雄首相は１７日、東京・九段北の靖国神社で始まった秋季例大祭に合わせ、祭具の真榊（まさかき）を奉納した。１８日までの期間中、自身の参拝は見送る方針だ。中国や韓国など周辺国との外交関係への影響を避けるほか、政府要人の参拝に慎重な公明党に配慮したとみられる。
　関係者によると、岸田氏の真榊奉納は初めて。安倍晋三元首相や菅義偉前首相の対応を考慮した。現職首相の靖国参拝は、２０１３年１２月の安倍氏が最後だ。
　岸田内閣では、後藤茂之厚生労働相、若宮健嗣万博担当相も真榊を奉納。１７日に閣僚の参拝は確認されなかった。
　１７日は、菅前首相のほか、超党派の「みんなで靖国神社に参拝する国会議員の会」を代表して尾辻秀久会長らが参拝。菅氏は記者団に「ご英霊にみ霊のご冥福をお祈り申し上げた」と語った。（2021/10/17-20:38）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a ritual offering of a "masakaki" tree stand to war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Sunday, when the Shinto shrine's two-day autumn festival started.
   Kishida, who took office Oct. 4, is expected to skip a visit to the shrine during the festival, apparently to avoid impacts on Japan's diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, which regard the shrine as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors Class-A war criminals along with the war dead.
   It is also believed that Kishida is giving consideration to Komeito, the coalition partner of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, ahead of the Oct. 31 general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.
   Komeito is cautious about senior government officials visiting Yasukuni Shrine. The official campaign period for the closely watched election is set to start Tuesday.
   The last time a sitting Japanese prime minister visited the shrine was December 2013, when Shinzo Abe paid a visit.