西村経産相が靖国参拝　岸田内閣の閣僚で初

　１５日の終戦記念日を前に、西村康稔経済産業相が１３日、東京・九段北の靖国神社を参拝した。２０２１年１０月に岸田内閣が発足して以降、閣僚の参拝が確認されたのは初めて。
　西村氏は参拝後、取材に「英霊の安寧を心からお祈りし、安倍晋三元首相のことを思いつつ、日本と世界の平和と繁栄に全力を尽くすことを誓った」とコメントした。
　西村氏は１０日の内閣改造で入閣。安倍、菅両内閣の経済再生担当相だった２０、２１年も、終戦記念日の前後に靖国神社を参拝している。（2022/08/13-15:24）

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, two days before the 77th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
   He is the first minister of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's new cabinet launched Wednesday whose visit to the war-related shrine has been confirmed.
   "I prayed for peaceful rest of the souls of the war dead, thinking about former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe," Nishimura told reporters after the shrine visit.
   "I made a pledge to do my utmost for the peace and prosperity of Japan and the world," he added.
   Yasukuni Shrine is regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by neighboring countries including China and South Korea as it enshrines war criminals along with the war dead. Abe was shot dead last month.