安倍首相、靖国に真榊奉納　春の参拝見送りへ

　安倍晋三首相は２１日、東京・九段北の靖国神社で春季例大祭が始まったのに合わせ、同神社に祭具の真榊（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見通しだ。
　靖国神社が新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大防止の観点から昇殿参拝を受け付けていないため、昨年の秋季例大祭時に参拝した高市早苗総務相と衛藤晟一沖縄・北方担当相は今回の例大祭中の参拝を断念した。高市氏と加藤勝信厚生労働相は首相と同様に真榊を納めた。（2020/04/21-08:01）

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a ritual offering of a "masakaki" tree stand to war-related Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, when the shrine's two-day spring festival opened.
   He is unlikely to pay a visit to the Shinto shrine in Tokyo during the festival.
   Internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi and Seiichi Eto, minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs, abandoned their plans to visit the shrine, as the shrine does not accept entry into its main building due to the spread of the new coronavirus. Both visited the shrine during last year's autumn festival.
   Takaichi and health minister Katsunobu Kato offered masakaki tree stands as Abe did.
   Abe's visit to the shrine has not been confirmed since his visit in December 2013.