Prime Minister Shinzo Abe AP PHOTO

The offering -- apparently Abe's first direct show of respect at Yasukuni Shrine since taking office last year -- was accompanied by a card prepared by the shrine that read "the prime minister," said a shrine spokeswoman.

The shrine is a source of tension between the countries, and Beijing refused to hold a summit with Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, after he repeatedly visited the shrine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said that "the leaders of China and Japan have reached a consensus on overcoming this obstacle. China hopes Japan can abide by this agreement or consensus."

The Japan Times Weekly: May 12, 2007
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