From the Washington Post (link)
China condemned repeated visits by Japanese leaders to a war shrine in Tokyo, saying Tuesday that ties between the two Asian powers were facing “harsh difficulties” as a result.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said relations have “failed to improve” in the past year.
“The responsibility does not lie with China or the Japanese people,” Liu said at a regular briefing. “It is because the Japanese leaders have taken an erroneous attitude and insist on paying visits to the Yasukuni Shrine … The political basis for bilateral relations are undermined.”
