China rips Japan's war-criminal remarks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-29 09:10

China has lashed out at Japanese comments on Class-A war criminals, while Tokyo scrambled to prevent a war of words by telling its top officials to be careful about what they say.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan welcomes questions at a regular briefing Friday. Kong expressed strong indignation over recent Japanese irresponsible remarks. [baidu]

In a statement posted Friday on the Chinese foreign ministry's Web site, spokesperson Kong Quan expressed "strong indignation" over recent Japanese remarks, including the assertion by an official in the agriculture ministry that Class-A war criminals are no longer regarded as criminals in Japan.

The comments were "an outright challenge to international justice as well as the good sense of mankind," Kong's statement said, and "gravely hurt the feelings of the people who suffered under the brutal invasion of Japanese militarism.

"The Chinese government and its people express strong indignation," it said.

Masahiro Morioka, parliamentary secretary for health, labor and welfare, said Thursday that Class-A war criminals convicted by the Tokyo War Crimes trial after World War II are not criminals because the tribunal was "one-sided."

Japanese government leaders have said that Morioka's position does not represent the government, saying that Tokyo has accepted the results of the tribunal.

China's biggest complaint with Japan is Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals with Japan's 2.5 million war dead.

Kong said Class-A war criminals including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo were "criminals" whose "hands are soaked in the blood of the people of Asia and the world."

Kong's comments were also in reaction to remarks made earlier Friday by Fumio Kyuma, the head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's decision-making General Council.

Kyuma said he was uncomfortable with the fact that Tojo is honored in the shrine. Asked about Koizumi's visits to the shrine, he said such actions are up to each individual.

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