(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> <br />Japan's land minister and postal minister visited a controversial shrine for war dead on Thursday (October 18) in a move which could further strain relations between neighbouring China and South Korea, already tense over territorial disputes.<br/> <br />The two ministers' pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine, seen by many in the region as a symbol of Japan's war-time militarism, came after Japan's main opposition party leader and possible next prime minister, Shinzo Abe, paid his respects there late on Wednesday (October 17).<br/> <br />Land minister Yuichiro Hata and postal minister Mikio Shimoji were among a group of nonpartisan lawmakers visiting the shrine during its autumn festival.<br/> <br />Fourteen Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal are honoured at the shrine along with other war dead.<br/> <br />Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura stressed the pilgrimage did not mean a change in government policy. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's administration has avoided all official visits to the shrine.<br/> <br />Sino-Japanese relations have soured sharply in the past month when a row over disputed islands led to violent anti-Japanese protests across China and badly hurt trade.
