Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has made a ritual offering at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo for its spring festival, drawing protests from neighboring countries. The shrine honors Japan's war dead. Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War Two.
Kishida sent a potted plant with a wooden plaque bearing his name and official title on Sunday, the first day of the three-day festival. Sources say the prime minister will not visit the shrine during that period.
Since taking office in 2021, Kishida has made offerings for the shrine's spring and autumn festivals, in line with the precedent set by his predecessors Abe Shinzo and Suga Yoshihide. Economic Revitalization Minister Shindo Yoshitaka visited Sunday to offer prayers.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo issued a statement later in the day, saying such offerings and visits hurt the feelings of people in countries that suffered from Japan's actions during World War Two.
It also urged Japan to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression and draw a clear distinction from militarism.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing the government's "deep disappointment and regret." It said the shrine "glorifies Japan's past wars of aggression and enshrines war criminals."
And it urged Japan's leaders to look squarely at their country's history and demonstrate "humble reflection and genuine repentance for the past" as a foundation for future-oriented relations between South Korea and Japan.