China's military voices firm opposition to Japanese DM's war shrine visit

BEIJING -- Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun on Thursday voiced the Chinese armed forces' strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

During his recent visit to Hawaii, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not show the slightest remorse, but used the word "brave" to refer to Japanese military officers who died in the Pearl Harbor attack, said Yang at a regular press briefing.

Abe even mentioned the Japanese empire in his speech, Yang said, adding that all peace-loving people across the world should be on a high alert against such words and deeds.

"The aggression launched by Japanese militarism brought calamities to the people in related regions and countries. History is a mirror. There is no future if one cannot face the past sincerely," he said.

The notorious Tokyo war shrine, which honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese war dead from the WWII, is regarded as a symbol of the past Japanese militarism.