Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent religious “masakaki” offerings yesterday to the controversial Yasukuni shrine that honours Japan’s second world war dead, including convicted war criminals.

His decision to make masakaki offerings for the spring festival rather than attend in person to pray is thought to indicate caution because of his government’s efforts to mend relations with China.

The premier’s previous visits to the shrine have drawn sharp rebukes from Beijing and Seoul in light of their countries’ suffering at the hands of Japanese militarism.