A visit by Japanese Cabinet members and lawmakers to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Thursday is expected to raise tensions in the region.

Japan’s Kyodo News reported that Transport Minister Yuichiro Hata and Postal Reform Minister Mikio Shimoji visited the shrine that honors war dead, including Class-A war criminals. The two Cabinet members and lawmakers from a cross-party group that encourages visits to the war shrine were there attending an annual autumn festival.

Their visit came a day after Japan’s main opposition party leader and possible next prime minister, Shinzo Abe, paid his respect at Yasukuni.