Japan PM Takaichi eyes forgoing Yasukuni visit for anniv. of WWII end

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering refraining from visiting the war-linked Yasukuni shrine to mark Saturday's anniversary of the end of World War II, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

Such a visit to the Tokyo shrine by Takaichi, a conservative known for her hawkish foreign policies, would certainly fuel tensions with China and create a rift in relations with South Korea, both countries that suffered under Japan's wartime military aggression.