Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering Wednesday to Yasukuni Shrine, viewed as a symbol of Japan's wartime militarism by neighboring countries, on the first day of its four-day autumn festival.Abe has refrained from paying tribute in person at the shrine in central Tokyo since late 2013.The prime minister's ritual offering to the shrine which honors the nation's war dead came at a time when relations between Japan and China have been improving. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of a bilateral peace and friendship treaty taking effect."We urge Japan to faithfully f…READ FULL ARTICLE
