China Will Not Meet Japan's Primie Minister After His War Shrine Visit

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd L) is led by a Shinto priest as he visits Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo December 26, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Toru Hanai

Chinese Refuse To Meet Japan’s Premier After His War Shrine Visit -- New York Times

BEIJING — China’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Chinese leaders, angered over a visit last week by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan to a contentious war shrine in Tokyo, would not meet with Mr. Abe.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, said at a regularly scheduled news conference in Beijing that Mr. Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the remains of some convicted war criminals from the World War II era, was tantamount to honoring “fascists” and “the Nazis of Asia.” Mr. Qin’s statements were the strongest public remarks made by China against Mr. Abe.

Mr. Abe has been asking for high-level talks with China to discuss points of tension in East Asia. In recent years, the China-Japan relationship has worsened because of disputes over territory in the East China Sea. Most recently, Japan and other countries expressed surprise and anger over China’s efforts to expand its flight identification zone in the region.

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More News On China's Refusal To Meet Japan's Primie Minister After His War Shrine Visit

China says Abe not welcome after war shrine visit -- Washington Post/AP
China says Japan PM 'shuts door' on talks with war shrine visit -- Reuters
Japan PM Abe 'not welcome' by Chinese people, says Beijing -- AFP
China Says It Will Shun Abe After Shrine Visit -- Wall Street Journal
Chinese ambassador to Japan blasts Abe's shrine visit -- Xinhuanet
No dialogue with Abe after shrine visit: FM -- Global Times/Xinhua