China condemns Japanese lawmakers' visit to Yasukuni Shrine

China strongly condemned on Tuesday a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by 166 Japanese national and local lawmakers from Japanese conservative political groups, saying the move trampled on historical justice and challenged the postwar international order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made the remarks when asked to comment on the visit by members of "Hoshu Danketsu no Kai", a conservative group within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, and lawmakers from Sanseito, an ultraconservative political party.

"The so-called Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism in launching wars of aggression. It is, in fact, a shrine to war criminals," Lin said.

He said a series of negative moves by the Japanese side related to the shrine have blatantly and seriously trampled on historical justice and human conscience, and challenged the outcomes of World War II and the postwar international order.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial, Lin noted, adding that May 3 will mark the anniversary of the trial's opening.

Eighty years on, certain Japanese politicians and right-wing forces, instead of reflecting on the past, have repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class-A war criminals, in an attempt to overturn the verdict on Japan's history of aggression and whitewash its war crimes, he said.

The Chinese people, the people of countries that suffered Japanese aggression, and all peace-loving forces of justice around the world will never accept such acts, Lin said.

He added that the international community must remain highly vigilant against the rise and spread of neo-militarism and its threat to regional peace, and must resolutely oppose it.