China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II.

Beijing lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many other countries in Asia view the site as a symbol of Japanese militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not visit the site in person but she sent a ritual offering to the shrine.

Japanese Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Minoru Kiuchi, Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda and Hitoshi Kikawada, state minister in charge of Okinawa and the Northern Territories, also visited the shrine.

“During World War II, Japan launched wars of external aggression and committed atrocious crimes. The so-called Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual instrument and symbol of Japanese militarism,” the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday.

“The 14 Class-A war criminals enshrined there were the chief culprits of the war of aggression.”

“No matter what pretext Japanese politicians invent, they cannot hide their true intention – to rehabilitate war criminals, cover up war responsibility, distort historical facts and pave the way for accelerated ‘remilitarisation’,” the ministry said in a statement.