Abe stays away from World War II shrine on anniversary of surrender

TOKYO, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stayed away Thrusday while three members of his cabinet visited a shrine that honors Japanese soldiers killed in World War II.

The visit was made on the 68th anniversary of the Japanese surrender, which ended the war, The Japan Times reported. Abe, through a surrogate, made an offering for a tree branch and prayers from a Shinto priest at the shrine.

The shrine is controversial because those it honors include convicted war criminals. Abe apparently stayed away to avoid souring relations with China and South Korea.

Yoshitaka Shindo, minister of internal affairs, Keiji Furuya, chairman of the National Public Security Commission, and Tomomi Inada, minister in charge of administrative reform, all known for conservative leanings, went to the shrine.

Koichi Hagiuda, a political aide to Abe, said he made the contribution as head of the Liberal Democratic Party and not as head of the government.