Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was obviously hedging his bets when he sent a masakaki plant to the Yakusuni Shrine during this April's spring festival instead of visiting the site himself.

Abe is aware of the consequences his visit to the shrine would have had, so, he tried not to provoke Japan's neighbors by staying away from the shrine.

Still, domestic matters were undoubtedly on his mind, so he had to do something to appease his political supporters.