Abe’s war dead shrine visit is ‘a flagrant provocation’
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China yesterday condemned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni shrine, saying the gesture is “a major new political obstacle” to already strained relations and that it must “bear the consequences.”
South Korea also blasted the “anachronistic” move and Tokyo’s chief ally the United States declared itself disappointed with an act that it said would worsen tensions with Japan’s neighbors.
It was the first visit to Yasukuni by a sitting Japanese prime minister since Junichiro Koizumi in 2006.
Abe spent about 15 minutes at the Shinto shrine in central Tokyo. TV cameras followed him inside the shrine property, but were not allowed in the inner shrine.
Abe’s visit came exactly 12 months after he took power.
China summoned Tokyo’s ambassador and delivered a “strong protest and severe reprimand,” the foreign ministry said.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the shrine visit was “a flagrant provocation against international justice and treads arbitrarily on humanity’s conscience,” according to a ministry statement.
“The essence of Japanese leaders’ visits to the Yasukuni shrine is to beautify Japan’s history of militaristic aggression and colonial rule,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
Qin said the prime minister’s action has given Japan’s neighbors, and the international community, every reason to be highly vigilant and deeply concerned over the road Japan will take in the future.
Qin said China-Japan relations have faced “severe difficulties” since the Japanese government announced its plan to “purchase” part of the Diaoyu Islands.
Qin slammed the so-called “China threat” incited by Japan, saying it severely damaged China’s security interest.
“In such circumstances, Japanese leaders showed no restraint, but went from bad to worse, making serious trouble on historical problems, which erect a major new political obstacle to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations,” the spokesman said, adding Japan must “accept all the consequences.”
Foreign ministry official Luo Zhaohui called the visit “absolutely unacceptable to the Chinese people” and cautioned Japan “must bear the consequences arising from this”.
South Korea was also angered by Abe’s visit. “We can’t help deploring and expressing anger at the prime minister’s visit to the Yasukuni shrine... despite concerns and warnings by neighboring countries,” Culture Minister Yoo Jin-ryong said.
“The visit ... is anachronistic behavior that fundamentally damages not only relations between South Korea and Japan but also stability and cooperation in northeast Asia.”
Washington offered its qualified criticism. “Japan is a valued ally and friend. Nevertheless, the United States is disappointed that Japan’s leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions with Japan’s neighbors,” Washington said in a statement.
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