BEIJING, April 23 -- China urged Japan to honor its commitment to recognize its national history after three Japanese cabinet ministers visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine one day after talks between President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"The visit to the shrine, which honors Class-A convicted Japanese war criminals during World War II, embodies their wrong attitude towards the history. China was firmly against it," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei at a regular press conference on Thursday.
Hong said that only when Japan reflects on their history of invasion and draws the line with militarism can the China-Japan relations realize sound and stable development.
The spokesperson also urged Japan to honor its words and commitments of reflecting the invasion history and properly handle the issue with a responsible attitude.
Japan's National Public Safety Commission chief Eriko Yamatani, Minister in charge of Measures for Women's Active Participation, Declining Birthrate Haruko Arimura and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi visited the Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, according to AFP.
On Wednesday's meeting with Xi, Abe said Japan will implement the four-point principled agreement reached with China last year. He said he and his cabinet have made promises on several occasions that they will follow the Murayama Statement and honor the words of former Japanese governments on the history issue.
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