The Association of Diet Members Who Go to Yasukuni Together. Not... Much

This morning, members of the non-partisan Association of Diet Members Who Go to Yasukuni Together paid their respects at the Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of the Autumn Seasonal Grand Ceremonies. 47 members attended, down from 67 in 2007 and 84 in 2006. Money quote, from Yoshinobu Shimamura, the Association Chairman:

”The number of Lower House members is down; perhaps they have the [upcoming] Lower House election on their minds.”

So much for the right-wing surge that op-ed writers love to drool over.

Incidentally, none of the Cabinet Ministers, not even those people’s favorite right-wingnut Prime Minister Aso, joined the Elected Ones.