China urges Japan to make clean break with militarism

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday urged Japan to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, and take concrete actions to make a clean break with militarism.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said this at regular news conference after Japan's Yasukuni Shrine reportedly picked Umio Otsuka, a former Maritime Self Defense Force commander, as its 14th chief priest. It is the first time that the war-linked shrine has appointed a high-ranking ex-military official to the post.

The Yasukuni Shrine, deemed the spiritual tool and symbol of Japan's militaristic aggression against foreign countries, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II, Lin said.

Not long ago, a number of incumbent Japanese defense officials visited the shrine, Lin said, adding that now a former admiral is to be chief priest for the first time, Japan's wrong attitude toward its past aggression has once again been exposed.

"China urges the Japanese side to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, take concrete actions to make clean break with militarism, and do not cause further loss of trust to its Asian neighbors and the international community," said the spokesperson.