BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Saturday condemned offerings and visits by Japanese political leaders to the Yasukuni Shrine, saying such actions whitewash Japan's wartime aggression, challenge the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War and the post-war international order, and hurt the feelings of people in countries victimized by Japanese militarism.
Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the comment in response to media reports that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a monetary offering to the Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, while Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and other politicians visited the shrine.
Noting that the Yasukuni Shrine served as a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism in launching wars of aggression abroad, Jiang said that the actions of these Japanese politicians openly trample on historical justice.
"While professing a commitment to peace, they continue to pay homage to those responsible for the war. Such hypocrisy fully exposes the gravely distorted view of history held by Japan's right-wing forces and their dangerous attempt to revive militarism," he said.
Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial, Jiang urged Japan to genuinely learn the lessons of history and stop acting against the tide of history.
He warned that if Japan persists in pursuing a "new militarism" and becomes a source of instability threatening regional peace, it will once again face the judgment of justice and history. ■
