Japan's defence minister has prayed at a controversial war shrine in the capital, Tokyo, drawing condemnation from China and South Korea.
Tomomi Inada's visit on Thursday was her first since taking the key defence portfolio in August, though she has frequently gone in the past.
She argued that offering respect to war dead should be universally accepted, echoing the argument repeated by Japanese lawmakers who frequently visit Yasukuni.
"By taking a future-oriented stance, I offered my prayers to build peace for Japan and the world," she stated.
'No comment'
Inada is a close confidante of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who said on a golf course that he had "no comment" on her action.
South Korea summoned a senior official from the Japanese embassy in Seoul to protest.
"Our government cannot but deplore" the visit, foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-Hyuck said in a statement, while in separate comments the defence ministry expressed "grave concern and regret".
 |
| South Korea and China suffered under Japan's colonialism and military aggression in the first half of the 20th century [Kyodo via Reuters] |
Hua Chunying, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, said in Beijing it was "deeply ironic after the so-called Pearl Harbour reconciliation tour".
"It will only make the people of the world more on-guard against Japan's actions and intentions," she stated. "China is firmly opposed" to the visit.
On Tuesday, Abe and US President Barack Obama had honoured the victims of Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbour, which killed 2,403 Americans and led to the United States entering World War II. Inada also attended the United States ceremony.
Military aggression
Yasukuni Shrine honours millions of mostly Japanese war dead, but is contentious for also enshrining senior military and political figures convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal.
The indigenous Shinto religious shrine has for decades been a flashpoint for criticism from countries such as South Korea and China, which suffered under Japan's colonialism and military aggression in the first half of the 20th century.
.....