China's Foreign Ministry has criticised Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's remarks in the wake of protests from China and the Republic of Korea over his cabinet members' recent visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "If Japanese leaders regard aggression, expansion and colonial rule by the country’s former militarists as "proud history and tradition", and attempt to challenge the results of World War II and post-war order, Japan can never escape its historical shadow and there will be no future for Japan’s relations with its Asian neighbors."

Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the essence of issues regarding Yasukuni Shrine was how the Japanese government and leaders understand and treat the country’s history of invading other Asian countries.

The shrine is seen as a symbol of Japan’s former militarism. Abe reportedly told a parliamentary panel on Wednesday that it was only natural to honor the spirit of the war dead who gave their lives for the country. Abe also says his ministers will not yield to any threats, and it is also his job to protect Japanese pride, which rests on history and tradition.