The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo honours 2.5 million mostly Japanese war dead who perished since the late 19th century, and enshrines convicted war criminals.

Trips to the shrine by government officials have angered countries that suffered Japanese military atrocities, particularly China and South Korea.

A shrine spokeswoman said Sanae Takaichi, the minister in charge of economic security, visited the shrine Monday during the autumn festival.

Trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura went to the shrine on Friday, before the festival began.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, however, has stayed away, instead sending a "masakaki" tree offering.

No Japanese prime minister has visited the shrine since 2013, when a trip by then-premier Shinzo Abe sparked fury in Beijing and Seoul and a rare diplomatic rebuke from close ally the United States.