BEIJING, Oct. 23  -- Japan's spats with Asian neighbors over its invading history escalated again after a high-ranking official Tuesday denied the country's recruitment of wartime sex slaves.

Speaking to a parliamentary committee, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga denied the Japanese army's abduction and enslavement of over 200,000 "comfort women" from other Asian countries to work in its military brothels during the war, one of the country's most atrocious war crimes during WWII.

Suga's remarks, in an obvious bid to downplay and ultimately wash off Japan's appalling war shames, echoed rhetoric of Tokyo's increasingly nationalist politicians and media tycoons.

Represented by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, grandson of a notorious war criminal, Tokyo has spared no efforts in reinterpreting its war atrocities, as evidenced by cabinet members' obstinate visits to the Yasukuni Shrine that honors 14 Class-A war criminals, revision of the pacifist constitution, and declaration that its war crimes had been paid off long ago.

Despite its stunningly icy relations with Eastern Asia neighbors, which suffered shocking civilian casualties and economic losses due to Japan's invasion, Tokyo, instead of feeling ashamed of itself, has shown no intention to halt its provocations over its war past.

It is more hypocritical for the island country, a self-claimed guard of regional peace and friendship, to stick to the bigoted course of fomenting strife at the cost of stability in East Asia.

Suga's statement cannot be more besotted, as Abe has long sought to meet Chinese and South Korean leaders but has been rejected for his lack of sincere repentance of the country's war crimes.

Besides cutting off nearly all of Abe's communication with leaders in neighboring countries, Japan's blatant challenges on historical issues have also worsened its foreign trade, which has been haunted by economic downturn for 20 years.

If indulged and unpunished, such defiant voices would definitely make Abe a persona non grata in the upcoming informal leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Beijing in November. And there are slim chances for his desire to contact leaders of concerned countries to be fulfilled.

All these consequences should be weighed before the Abe administration makes its next move on historical issues.

It's worth remembering that Asian countries' appeal for honoring the verdict of history is the natural call for justice and order, which is also the foundation of sustained regional peace and development. It should in no way be smeared as acts to intervene in Japan's domestic affairs.