The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday called on Japan to make a clean break with militarism and follow a path of peaceful development.

"We urge Japan to see squarely and reflect on the history of aggression and act prudently on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine," said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry.

Mao made the comments in response to reports that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of its autumn festival on Thursday.

The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists responsible for the war of aggression, said Mao. The place honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals with grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression, she added.

Japan should earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions, the spokesperson said.