菅首相が靖国に真榊奉納　例大祭、参拝は見送り

　菅義偉首相は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、「内閣総理大臣」の肩書で祭具の真榊（まさかき）を奉納した。１８日までの例大祭期間中の参拝は見送る。
　安倍晋三前首相も在任中、同様の対応を取ってきており踏襲した。菅首相は外交方針に「中国をはじめとする近隣国との安定的な関係を構築する」ことを掲げており、周辺国に配慮したとみられる。
　大島理森衆院議長、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。（2020/10/17-08:22）

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sent a ritual offering to war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, as he is expected to refrain from visiting the shrine during its autumn festival until Sunday.
   The "masakaki" tree offering was made in his capacity as prime minister. As his immediate predecessor, Shinzo Abe, had taken such an action, Suga followed suit.
   Masakaki offerings were also presented by House of Representatives Speaker Tadamori Oshima, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura and Shinji Inoue, minister of state for science and technology policy.
   Past visits by Japan's prime minister and other cabinet members to Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A World War II criminals are enshrined among other war dead, had each time provoked a fierce backlash from China and South Korea.
   Aiming to build stable relations with neighboring countries, Suga appears to show his consideration for them by stopping short of visiting the shrine.