Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a ritual offering to the Yasukuni shrine, while four of her Cabinet colleagues, including Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, visited the site, according to China Daily.

Beijing lodged formal protests with Tokyo and described the shrine as “a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism”. The South China Morning Post reported that China criticized Takaichi over the offering and warned of “remilitarisation”.