Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

Chinese side firmly opposes and severely condemns the Japanese side's negative trends regarding the Yasukuni Shrine, and has lodged solemn representations and a strong protest with the Japanese side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday when responding to a question on reports that Japan's Yasukuni Shrine is holding its annual spring festival from April 21 to 23 and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presented a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine this morning.

The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism's foreign wars of aggression; it is, in fact, a shrine for war criminals. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Eighty years ago, judges from 11 countries commenced proceedings that span two and a half years, reviewed a mountain of irrefutable evidence, and laid bare the innumerable crimes of Japanese militarists, laying the foundation for the post-war international order. But what is infuriating is that today, 80 years later, the notorious Yasukuni Shrine still enshrines Japanese Class-A war criminals of World War II who bear direct responsibility for the war of aggression. Furthermore, Japanese officials and politicians have repeatedly visited the shrine or sent offerings and ritual fees, Guo stated.

The spokesperson continued that the Japanese side's negative trends on the Yasukuni Shrine issue are, in essence, an evasion of its own guilt, a profanation of historical justice, a provocation toward the victimized countries of aggression, and even more, a challenge to the fruits of the victory of World War II; they meet with the unanimous condemnation and firm opposition of the international community, Guo said.

Guo urged that the Japanese side must reflect: will it continue to allow militaristic intentions to grow and spread, distort facts and beautify crimes of aggression, or will it profoundly and sincerely reflect on its crimes of aggression, establish and practice a correct view of history, and truly win the trust of Asian neighbors and society?

What the Japanese side should answer is: how can it claim itself to be a pacifist nation while significantly expanding military expenditures, deploying medium-to-long-range offensive missiles, relaxing weapon exports, promoting the revision of the pacifist Constitution, and loosening or abandoning the Three Non-Nuclear Principles? What exactly does the Japanese side intend to do, Guo questioned.

What the Japanese side should face squarely is that all peace-loving forces of justice in the world will never allow neo-militarism to take advantage of the situation to rise and endanger regional peace, and will certainly deliver a firm blow, Guo said,

To forget history means betrayal; to deny guilt is to recommit crimes. Guo urged that the international community must maintain high vigilance against the tricks of Japanese historical revisionism, jointly contain the reckless actions of Japanese neo-militarism, and work together to maintain the peace and stability of the region and the world.

Global Times