The vice chief of staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force visited the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo earlier this week with his subordinates, the Defense Ministry has said.
The ministry is investigating the details as the visit may be a violation of an administrative vice minister directive issued in 1974 to prohibit a group visit by SDF members to a religious facility.
Lt. Gen. Hiroki Kobayashi, the vice chief of staff, took leave on Tuesday afternoon, used an official car to go to the Shinto shrine, joined dozens of senior GSDF members there and paid the visit, according to the ministry.
The shrine is regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by neighboring countries such as China and South Korea, as it honors Class-A World War II criminals along with the war dead.
Those who made the visit are members of an aircraft accident investigation commission headed by Kobayashi. They went to the shrine to pray for safety at the start of their work for the year.
Kobayashi claims that he used the official car in preparation for an emergency as the GSDF is on a disaster relief mission following the powerful earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in central Japan on Jan. 1, according to the ministry.
The ministry is investigating whether his use of the official car should be considered private use.