Spokesperson's remarks on Japanese politicians paying respects to Yasukuni Shrine

China urges Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through real actions, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

Friday (Aug. 15) marks the day of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II, however, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine. Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Finance Katsunobu Kato and rightwing politicians, including Takayuki Kobayashi and Koichi Hagiuda, visited the Shrine.

Commenting on the Japanese politicians' actions, the Chinese spokesperson said the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists' war of aggression against foreign nations.

The shrine honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals who bear grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression. China strongly deplores Japan's actions that grossly challenge historical justice and human conscience, and has already lodged serious protests with the Japanese side, said the spokesperson.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the spokesperson said that to view and treat history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community. It is the political foundation of Japan's relations with neighboring countries, and more importantly, a yardstick for Japan's commitment to peaceful development.

China urges Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression, be prudent on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, stick to the path of peaceful development, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through real actions, said the spokesperson.

The U.S. dollar strengthened in late trading on Wednesday.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, went up 0.52 percent to 100.092 at 15:00 (1900 GMT).

In late New York trading, the euro declined to 1.1516 dollars from 1.1542 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound fell to 1.3341 dollars from 1.3360 dollars in the previous session.

The U.S. dollar bought 159.41 Japanese yen, higher than 159.00 Japanese yen in the previous session. The U.S. dollar rose to 0.7902 Swiss francs from 0.7847 Swiss francs, and it advanced to 1.3701 Canadian dollars from 1.3697 Canadian dollars. The U.S. dollar climbed to 9.3346 Swedish kronor from 9.2737 Swedish kronor.