Abe defends shrine visits

The US Washington Post published an editorial on Saturday, saying Abe showed a lack of respect for history in his recent controversial remarks.

After reviewing the "brave steps" taken by Abe to reform Japan's economy, the article suggested his controversial remarks over Japan's wartime aggression could put all the progress at risk.

"Yes, history is always being reinterpreted. But there are such things as facts. Japan occupied Korea. It occupied Manchuria and then the rest of China. It invaded Malaya. It committed aggression," the article said.

It also contrasts Japan's unwillingness to acknowledge historical facts with Germany's honest attitude in this regard.

The Wall Street Journal said Thursday that Abe's comments on shrine visits have further aggravated tensions with its neighbor countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday that the essence of issues regarding the Yasukuni Shrine is how Japanese government and leaders understand and treat the country's history of invading other Asian countries.

If Japanese leaders regard aggression, expansion and colonial rule by the country's former militarists as "a proud history and tradition," and attempt to challenge the results of World War II and post-war order, Japan can never escape its historical shadow and there will be no future for Japan's relations with its Asian neighbors, Hua told a regular news briefing.