Japan PM Abe sends offering to Yasukuni shrine for war dead -Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni shrine for war dead on Thursday, the anniversary of Japan's World War Two surrender, Kyodo News said of a gesture likely to be criticized by Asian neighbors.

Past visits by Japanese leaders to Yasukuni have outraged South Korea and China because the shrine honors 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals. Protests from Seoul could be especially strong this year because bilateral relations are at their lowest level in years after a series of disputes.