Takaichi made the offering, known as a "masakaki" in her own name rather than in her official capacity as prime minister, but would not be making the trip to the controversial shrine during the festival, which runs through Oct. 19.
The militarist shrine honors convicted war criminals from World War II, and has long been a source of diplomatic friction with neighboring countries, particularly South Korea and China, which view it as a symbol of Japan's wartime aggression.
Takaichi, a conservative hardliner and protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, regularly visited the shrine during its spring and autumn festivals as well as on Aug. 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, before becoming Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025. Since taking office, however, she has refrained from making a personal visit.
On the 81st anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender in August this year, she privately paid for a ritual offering as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and bowed toward the shrine from a distance rather than visiting it.
Annual pilgrimages and ritual offerings by Japanese political leaders to the shrine have continued despite repeated criticism from neighboring countries over a range of deep-rooted issues from territorial disputes to historical grievances.
Takaichi's latest offering comes as Seoul and Tokyo have worked to improve bilateral relations in recent years through so-called shuttle diplomacy including the resumption of reciprocal visits by their leaders.
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