TOKYO - Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of the country's past brutal militarism.

Ishiba, who announced his resignation last month, sent a "masakaki" evergreen twigs offering to the shrine on the first day of its three-day autumn festival.

Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Sanae Takaichi, who took the party's helm on Oct 4, made a monetary offering instead of making a visit, while senior LDP members such as Haruko Arimura, new head of its decision-making General Council, and election strategy chief Keiji Furuya visited the shrine.

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The shrine, located in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, enshrines 14 Class A war criminals from World War II, including Hideki Tojo. For a long time, some Japanese politicians and members of parliament have insisted on visiting the shrine, a practice strongly opposed by many peace-loving individuals in Japan and the international community.