International: Members of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s conservative faction, the “Conservative Solidarity Association,” along with 166 lawmakers and local assembly members, visited the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, April 28. The move drew strong condemnation from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

At a regular press briefing, the spokesperson stated that the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual symbol of Japanese militarist aggression and, in essence, a “shrine for convicted war criminals.” He said that visits to the shrine seriously violate historical justice and human conscience, and directly challenge the outcomes of World War II and the post-war international order. China, he added, expresses strong indignation and firm opposition to such actions.

Lin Jian further noted that 80 years ago, the international community reached a final settlement on Japan’s wartime aggression based on irrefutable evidence, and Class-A war criminals were lawfully punished, ensuring the victory of the global anti-fascist war and the preservation of international justice.

He said that even eight decades later, some Japanese politicians and right-wing forces not only refuse to reflect on this history but also repeatedly visit the Yasukuni Shrine, attempting to whitewash acts of aggression and conceal wartime crimes.

Such actions, he warned, are unacceptable to the Chinese people, to all nations that suffered from Japanese aggression, and to all peace-loving and justice-seeking forces around the world.

He also urged the international community to remain highly vigilant against the resurgence of new forms of militarism and its harmful impact on regional peace and stability.

Source: Tuhina–Touhid–Shuei, China Media Group.