Beijing, China - April 22, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of press briefing in progress, reporters
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Guo Jiakun, spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"Japan's negative moves related to the Yasukuni Shrine constitute a blatant provocation against international justice and an affront to human conscience. China is strongly indignant and severely condemns it."
3. Reporters
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Guo Jiakun, spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"The nature of the issue concerning the Yasukuni Shrine is whether Japan is able to rightly perceive and deeply reflect on its history of militarist aggression, and whether it can learn lessons from history and avoid a repeat of that part of history. This bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations, on Japan's credibility as a nation, and on the postwar international order as well as peace and justice in the world. The negative moves concerning the Yasukuni Shrine show that Japan, in total disregard of international concerns and just voices from both inside Japan and the world, has all along refused to acknowledge its history of aggression during WWII, attempted to change the verdict on its war of aggression and the Class-A war criminals, and even gone further to challenge the judgment of the Tokyo trials and postwar international order."
5. Reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Guo Jiakun, spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"Lately there has been a marked increase in the Japanese government's negative moves and reckless provocative acts on issues concerning China's Taiwan region and the history of WWII as well as military and security issues. Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan have had a grave impact on China-Japan relations. In the face of strong criticism and opposition from China as well as at home and abroad, some Japanese politicians and right-wing forces chose to go down the wrong path, rather than reflect on and correct their wrongdoings. The Chinese people, people in other countries that suffered under Japanese aggression, and all peace-loving forces for justice in the world will never allow this."
7. Reporters

Japan's recent negative moves related to the Yasukuni Shrine have blatantly provoked international justice, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to a media request for comment after a cross-party group of 126 Japanese lawmakers on Wednesday reportedly visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a symbol of Japanese militarism and wartime aggression.

"Japan's negative moves related to the Yasukuni Shrine constitute a blatant provocation against international justice and an affront to human conscience. China is strongly indignant and severely condemns it," he said.

During World War II, Japan's militarism committed innumerable crimes, inflicting immense suffering on Asian countries including China, and the rest of the world. The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists’ war of aggression. It is in fact a shrine for war criminals, as it honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals responsible for the war of aggression in WWII.

"The nature of the issue concerning the Yasukuni Shrine is whether Japan is able to rightly perceive and deeply reflect on its history of militarist aggression, and whether it can learn lessons from history and avoid a repeat of that part of history. This bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations, on Japan's credibility as a nation, and on the postwar international order as well as peace and justice in the world. The negative moves concerning the Yasukuni Shrine show that Japan, in total disregard of international concerns and just voices from both inside Japan and the world, has all along refused to acknowledge its history of aggression during WWII, attempted to change the verdict on its war of aggression and the Class-A war criminals, and even gone further to challenge the judgment of the Tokyo trials and postwar international order," Guo said.

"Lately there has been a marked increase in the Japanese government's negative moves and reckless provocative acts on issues concerning China's Taiwan region and the history of WWII as well as military and security issues. Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan have had a grave impact on China-Japan relations. In the face of strong criticism and opposition from China as well as at home and abroad, some Japanese politicians and right-wing forces chose to go down the wrong path, rather than reflect on and correct their wrongdoings. The Chinese people, people in other countries that suffered under Japanese aggression, and all peace-loving forces for justice in the world will never allow this," he said.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Tokyo trials. The trials found Japanese militarism and militarists guilty of launching and executing the war of aggression and related crimes, thus upholding historical truth, international justice and human dignity. Today, 80 years later, Japanese neo-militarism is rearing its ugly head and gaining strength, threatening to cast a shadow on world peace and security. The international community must respond resolutely to prevent any possible resurgence of Japanese militarism, Guo said