People visit the Yasukuni shrine on the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II in Tokyo on Aug 15, 2018. (KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP)

TOKYO - A cross-party group of about 70 Japanese lawmakers visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday during its annual spring festival.

The lawmakers included Masahisa Sato, a senior vice foreign minister, and Seiichi Eto, a special advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The lawmakers included Masahisa Sato, a senior vice foreign minister, and Seiichi Eto, a special advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

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The prime minister himself sent a ritual donation to the war-linked shrine on Sunday, the first day of the three-day spring festival.

The Japanese leader did not visit the shrine in person in light of improving regional relations, particularly with China, observers said.

The same goes for his most senior Cabinet ministers, thus far, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The shrine, seen by neighboring countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors as it honors convicted war criminals together with the war dead.

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Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese war dead from World War II.

Visits and ritual offerings made in person or by proxy to the infamous shrine by Japanese leaders, officials and lawmakers have consistently sparked strong criticism and hurt the feelings of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during World War II.