China condemns Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s personal offering to Yasukuni Shrine as Mao Ning urges Tokyo to confront its wartime history

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a personal monetary offering to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine for its autumn festival, drawing strong protests from China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing firmly opposed and strongly condemned the move and had lodged serious and strong protests with the Japanese side. She described the shrine as a symbol of Japanese militarist aggression.

Separately, Land Minister Tatsunori Ibayashi and ruling Liberal Democratic Party official Nishimura Yasutoshi visited the shrine. Marking the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trials, Mao urged Japan to recognize history, repent for past crimes and halt what she called retrogressive moves.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have remained strained since last November, after remarks by Takaichi suggesting Japan’s Self-Defense Forces might respond in support of the United States if an attack occurred on Taiwan.

Yasukuni Shrine honors millions of war dead alongside convicted war criminals and has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors, including China.