Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, has sent a symbolic contribution to a divisive shrine that honours the nation's war dead but is viewed as a reminder of earlier militarism.
On Monday, in honour of the fall festival held at the Yasukuni shrine, Kishida delivered a ceremonial tree known as a "masakaki".
But according to those close to the leader, he is probably going to skip the temple during the two-day event, the Kyodo news agency reported.
Since 2013, when a visit by then-premier Shinzo Abe generated outrage in Beijing and Seoul and a rare diplomatic reprimand from close ally the United States, no Japanese prime minister has paid a shrine a visit.
The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo honours 2.5 million war dead, primarily Japanese, who have died since the late 19th century, including war criminals who have been found guilty.
Trips to the shrine by government officials have angered countries that suffered Japanese military atrocities, particularly China and South Korea.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno declined to comment on Kishida’s offering during a daily press conference, saying the prime minister sent it as a “private person”.
But the Kyodo news agency said the masakaki was sent with a board that stated “prime minister”.
A spokeswoman for the Yasukuni shrine said Sanae Takaichi, the minister in charge of economic security, visited the shrine on Monday during the festival.
Trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura went to the shrine on Friday, before the festival began.