Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (2nd from L) visits Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan, on January 5, 2026. Photo: VCG

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday reportedly visited Ise Jingu shrine in Mie Prefecture, an act that quickly drew controversy after images circulated online showing her carrying a photograph of former prime minister Shinzo Abe while crossing the Uji Bridge over the Isuzu River at the entrance to the shrine's Inner Sanctuary.

According to Japan's Jiji Press, the visit was seen as Takaichi's attempt to signal continuity with the Abe political line and marked what it described as a "cautious diplomatic debut." The report noted that the photograph she brought was from the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit, when Abe and other leaders of the Group of Seven visited Ise Jingu.

Takaichi later addressed the gesture during a New Year press conference, explaining her motivation behind the visit. "I wanted to bring him to Ise Jingu once again," she claimed. "I wanted to convey, with gratitude, the feeling that 'we come here together,'" Jiji Press reported.

Takaichi's visit, especially her particularly her act of carrying a photograph of Abe, has sparked controversy online, with some netizens expressing support and others opposing the move in Japanese language, questioning both its symbolism and political implications.

One netizen, using the handle @bearabe, wrote that instead of carrying a photograph, Takaichi "should have brought the 'Abe's mask'," calling the act was "extremely creepy," and attached a hashtag suggesting that Takaichi was linked to the Unification Church, a religious group which reportedly has rich political links to the Japanese and South Korea politics.

Deeply influenced by former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi was labeled as a "female Abe" on social media platforms. 

Another netizen, @nittan_skhrh569, criticized what they described as the politicization of religion in Japanese language, writing that "turning politics into religion is disgusting," and questioning whether the prime minister understood the principle of separation between religion and state, "especially in Japan." The netizen further questioned whether contemporary Japan was "time-slipping back to prewar Japan or Germany." 

Skepticism toward Takaichi's motives was echoed by another user, @starmoon963, who noted that the shrine visit amounted to little more than an attempt to gain popularity by invoking Abe's image. The user wrote that Takaichi, having previously worked in mass media, was adept at emotional expression and dramatic performance. 

Global Times