China expressed a strong protest and condemnation regarding Japanese cabinet members' visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday.

Japanese lawmakers come to visit the Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday [gmw.cn]

Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin summoned Japanese ambassador to China Masato Kitera and lodged solemn representations over the issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said. 

Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshitaka Shindo, Keiji Furuya, state minister in charge of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese citizens as well as 190 lawmakers (including 101 agents) visited the shrine on Thursday. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not visit the shrine but  sent a ritual offering to the controversial shrine.

Observers said that Abe's act revealed that he wanted to visit the shrine but he also feared that his visit might harm Japan's relations with its neighbors. 

Today, August 15, is the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the World War II. Usually on this day a number of Japanese politicians would visit the notorious shrine despite strong opposition from its neighboring countries including China and South Korea which have suffered from Japan's aggression during World War II.

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