China called for Japan to “sincerely reflect on its history of aggression,” a day after Tokyo confirmed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a message to a ceremony honoring World War Two-era Japanese war criminals.

Prime Minister Abe’s note was read at an April ceremony held at a temple in western Japan to honor hundreds of convicted and suspected war criminals. In the note, Mr. Abe expressed grief for the death of the wartime leaders, who he said "sacrificed their souls to become the foundation of the country."

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday acknowledged Mr. Abe sent the note, but said the move was made in his capacity as head of Japan's ruling party, and not as prime minister.

On Thursday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang called on Japan to “make a clean break with militarism” in order to help provide a foundation for better relations with its Asian neighbors.

The top leaders of China and South Korea have refused to meet with Prime Minister Abe since he visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 "Class A" war criminals.

中国敦促日本认真反思本国的侵略历史。一天前，东京证实安倍晋三首相向悼念日本二战战犯的一个仪式送交了信件。

今年4月，日本西部一座寺庙为数百名日本二战战犯和战争罪嫌疑人举行悼念仪式。仪式上宣读了安倍晋三的信。安倍晋三在信中对战时领导人之死表示哀悼，并说他们以自己的灵魂奠定了国家的基础。

日本内阁官房长官菅直人星期三承认安倍晋三送出这一信件，但声称安倍此举是以日本执政党领袖的名义，而不是以首相名义。

星期四，中国外交部发言人秦刚敦促日本与军国主义彻底决裂，以便为日本改善与亚洲邻国关系打下基础。

自安倍晋三参拜靖国神社以来，中国和韩国的高层领导人一直拒绝会见这位日本首相。靖国神社中供奉着14名日本甲级战犯的灵位。