Komeito to Takaichi: avoid Yasukuni

The head of Komeito, the junior ruling coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic Party, urged internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday to drop her plan to visit Yasukuni Shrine during its upcoming fall festival.

"We have been trying to create a favorable environment for a possible Japan-China summit, so it's better to avoid spoiling it," Natsuo Yamaguchi said on a radio program, referring to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Past visits by prime ministers and Cabinet members, including one by Abe last December, have angered China and South Korea, which suffered from Japan's wartime aggression.

The annual fall festival will be held from Friday to Monday.