Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead on Thursday, but did not visit in person in an effort to avoid inflaming tensions with Asian neighbours.
Two Japanese ministers on Thursday morning visited the notorious Yasukuni shrine, a move that will further harm mutual trust between Japan and its neighbors.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army will conduct a four-day live-fire exercise beginning on Aug 15, off the coast of Xiangshan county, East China's Zhejiang province.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit the war-linked controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the World War II, local media reported.
Despite Japan's surrender to the allies 68 years ago, the ghost of militarism still haunts Asia and threatens to challenge the post-war world order.
Activists urged Japanese government to formally apologize over "comfort women" during mass protests on Wednesday in Taipei.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit the war-linked controversial Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the World War II.
The China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1978 should be commemorated and followed well, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.
Japan is to lift its self-imposed ban on the right to exercise collective self-defense with its military allies.
Beijing rejected a protest from Tokyo on Thursday over Chinese ships patrolling near the Diaoyu Islands, as four Chinese vessels made their longest stay in the area. Islands dispute hammers attitudes Special
Japan on Tuesday unveiled the "Izumo" warship, its largest one with 248 meters in length and 38 meters in width, and is expected to deploy the military ship in March 2015 for the Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
New York Congressman Steve Israel said the Japanese government should fully acknowledge, apologize for and increase awareness of its history of the "comfort women" atrocity.