Japanese PM makes offering to notorious war-linked shrine

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an offering on Thursday to a symbol of past Japanese military expansionism, Yasukuni Shrine, despite neighbors China and South Korea's call to stop such provocative move.

Abe has offered the "masakaki" trees during the shrine's spring and autumn festivals since he returned to power late 2012 and paid an unpopular visit in December 2013, prompting strong protests from China and South Korea.

The United States also expressed its disappointment to the prime minister's Yasukuni worship.

The controversial war-linked shrine honors 14 convicted Japanese war criminals during World War II and the Yushukan, a propaganda museum inside the shrine, spares no efforts to whitewash Japan's wartime wrongdoings.

Abe never restricts his Cabinet ministers and lawmakers from his Liberal Democratic Party to pay homage to the notorious shrine.

China has urged Japan to do more to improve bilateral ties that are scratched due to Japan's unilateral move over their territorial disputes and Abe's historical revisionism.

The Yasukuni offering is apparently a move went opposite to enhance relations between China and Japan and will continue damage mutual trust.