Abe visits Yasukuni Shrine

Xinhua, December 26, 2013

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited war-linked Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday despite strong opposition from neighboring countries.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a meeting of Japan Akademeia in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on Dec. 19, 2013. [Xinhua/Stringer]

It is the first time in seven years that a sitting Japanese prime minister visited the controversial shrine. Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid a visit in August 2006.