NHK reported this morning that a bipartisan group of about 60 Diet members visited Yasukuni Shrine earlier in the day. The network said although the group visits the shrine during the spring and autumn festivals and on Aug. 15 every year, they visited the shrine today instead of during the annual autumn festival because the festival overlapped with the campaign period for the Lower House election. The lawmakers included Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Seiichi Eto, Senior Vice Minister for Internal Affairs Shinsuke Okuno, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Masahisa Sato, Senior Vice Minister for Education Toshiei Mizuochi, and Senior Vice Minister for the Environment Naomi Tokashiki.