China denounces Japanese leaders’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine

BEIJING, Aug 16:  China has protested to two Japanese leaders visiting a controversial shrine for war dead on the occasion of 71st anniversary of the end of World War II, saying it once again proved Japan’s “wrong attitude” to the history-related issue.
“That some Japanese cabinet members paid tribute to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Class-A convicted war criminals and aims to beautify aggression wars, once again proved the Japanese government’s wrong attitude to the history-related issue,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said.
Lu urged the Japanese side “to squarely face and deeply reflect upon the history of aggression, deal with relative issues in a responsible and appropriate way and work to win trust from its Asian neighbours and the international community with concrete moves”.
China takes exception to such visits by Japanese leaders as it also honours “Class-A criminals” of World War-II who were accused of committing atrocities in China.
Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine that honours convicted war criminals among the war dead is regarded by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan’s wartime militarism. (PTI)