Lin noted that the prime minister avoided reflecting on the lessons of history and downplayed Japan’s responsibility for its acts of aggression.

The spokesperson affirmed that those positions reveal an intention to cover up, distort, and revise the history of Japanese aggression.

Lin also noted that, coinciding with the anniversary of Japan’s defeat and surrender in World War II, Takaichi laid an offering at the Yasukuni Shrine.

China urged Japanese leaders again to listen to the voices of their country and the international community, reflect on their historical responsibilities, and definitively break with militarism.

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