China urges Japan to break with militarism following Abe's offering to notorious shrine

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday urged Japan to "make a clean break with militarism" after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine.

China has always firmly opposed these kinds of acts by Japanese politicians, spokesman Lu Kang said at a routine press briefing.

Honoring 14 Class-A convicted war criminals of World War II, the Yasukuni Shrine is regarded as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Japan should abide by the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries, earnestly implement their four-point principled agreement reached in late 2014, and reflect deeply on the history of aggression, said Lu.

He urged the Japanese side to obtain the trust of neighboring Asian countries and the international community through action.

On Friday, around 90 Japanese lawmakers visited the Yasukuni Shrine and Seiichi Eto, an aide to the prime minister and a ruling Liberal Democratic Party upper house lawmaker, also made a visit. Endi