New visits to shrine obstacle to relations

Beijing expressed to Tokyo its "serious concerns and firm opposition" on Friday after more than 100 Japanese lawmakers made a pilgrimage to the shrine that honors Class-A war criminals from World War II.

Observers said the trip to Yasukuni Shrine will "backfire" as it came while the Japanese Cabinet is trying to kick-start Sino-Japanese relations with a planned meeting of the two countries' leaders at the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next month in Beijing.

On Friday morning, media noted that while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not visit the shrine, he offered a ritual offering - a "masakaki" tree.