Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a ritual offering to a Tokyo shrine that many of Japan's neighbors see as a symbol of the country's imperialist past.
Mr. Abe sent a traditional potted plant to the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, the first day of a three-day spring festival, officials at the shrine said.
The prime minister's offering is likely to upset many in China and South Korea, two main victims of Japan's pre-World War Two colonial aggression.
But the offering means Mr. Abe is likely to refrain from visiting the Shinto shrine, a move that would have drawn much harsher criticism.
The central Tokyo religious facility honors 2.5 million of Japan's war dead, including several convicted war criminals from World War Two.
Mr. Abe last visited the facility in 2013. He defended the move by saying it is natural for him to pay respects to the country's war dead日本首相安倍晋三向位于东京的靖国神社供奉祭品。日本很多邻国将靖国神社视为日本帝国主义历史的象征。
靖国神社的管理人员说，安倍晋三星期二将一株传统的盆栽植物送到靖国神社。星期二是春季三天庆祝活动的第一天。
安倍此举很可能会激怒中国和韩国。中韩两国是二战期间日本侵略的主要受害者。
但供奉祭品也意味着安倍很可能不会前往靖国神社进行参拜，而参拜靖国神社将招致严厉得多的批评。
位于东京市中心的靖国神社供奉着250万日本战争死难者的灵位，包括几名二战战犯。
安倍上次参拜靖国神社是在2013年。他辩解说，向本国的战争死难者表示敬意，对他而言是很自然的事。