Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Jiang Bin Answers Questions from Reporters on Japanese Officials' Visit to Yasukuni Shrine

Reporter: According to reports, on the day of Japan's defeat and surrender, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi offered ritual fees to the Yasukuni Shrine, and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and others went to pay their respects. What is your comment on this?

Jiang Bin: The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism that launched foreign invasion wars, enshrining war criminals whose hands are stained with the blood of the peoples of Asia-Pacific countries. The actions of Japanese politicians openly desecrate historical justice and seriously hurt the feelings of the victims in Asia-Pacific countries. Essentially, this is an attempt to cover up and deny the responsibility for aggression, challenging the achievements of the world’s anti-fascist war and the post-war international order. While publicly proclaiming a pursuit of peace, they simultaneously worship the culprits of war; this hypocritical behavior fully exposes the severely distorted historical view of Japan's right-wing forces and their dangerous plot to revive militarism.

Facing the history of aggression and deeply reflecting on the responsibilities of war is the political foundation for Japan to develop relations with its Asian neighbors. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials. We demand that the Japanese side earnestly learn from historical lessons, stop regressive actions, and if they insist on advancing "new militarism," becoming a root cause of harm to regional peace, they will inevitably face just judgment and historical reckoning once again.