Kishida's shrine offering condemned by neighbors

TOKYO－Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine for its spring festival, a move that has drawn strong criticism from neighboring countries.

The Japanese leader will not, however, visit the shrine during the festival, taking the same approach as when he offered a tree offering, known as masakaki, shortly after the liberal-leaning politician became prime minister in October last year.

Visits and ritual offerings made in person or by proxy to the infamous shrine by Japanese leaders, officials and lawmakers have sparked strong criticism from countries including China and South Korea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular news briefing on Wednesday: "Japan's negative moves once again reflect its erroneous attitude toward its history of aggression.

"China urged the Japanese side to earnestly honor its statement of and commitment to facing up to and reflecting on its history of aggression, make a clean break with militarism, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions," Wang added.

Former prime minister Shinzo Abe, a right-wing conservative, visited the contentious shrine on Thursday. Abe's previous visit in 2013, when he was in office, caused an uproar from Japan's closest neighbors as well as staunch condemnation from the United States. Abe paid a visit last year after leaving office.

The Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese war dead from World War II and, along with its historically inaccurate museum, is a testament to Japan's wartime crimes and wrongdoings.

Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have sunk to their worst level in decades over issues including the Japanese army's coercion of women into sexual slavery at military brothels during the war and Japan's use of Koreans as wartime laborers.

South Korea also expressed its "deep disappointment and regret "over the offering.

The landmark Kono Statement, which refers to a statement released by then chief cabinet secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, served as an official admission of wrongdoing and an apology from Japan for its use of wartime sex slaves. But critics have called for it to be updated. The issue has been neglected by the right-leaning governments of the dominant Liberal Democratic Party.

Xinhua - Agencies