More than 100 Japanese government officials and lawmakers visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo this week, prompting widespread domestic and international criticism. Many see the visit as a provocative gesture because of Japan's wartime past.

The visits coincided with the shrine's spring festival and followed a ritual offering sent by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a day earlier. Critics say the actions risk further straining Japan's relations with its Asian neighbors and reflect a troubling political trend.

The Yasukuni Shrine has long been a source of controversy, as it commemorates Japan's war dead, including 14 convicted Class-A war criminals from World War II. Visits by political leaders are widely viewed by neighboring countries as a symbol of Japan's failure to fully confront its militarist past.

On Wednesday, the second day of the shrine's three-day ceremony, senior political figures took part in the visits. Haruko Arimura, chairperson of the General Council of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), visited the shrine and made a monetary offering on behalf of Takaichi. Minoru Kiuchi, Japan's minister of state for economic and fiscal policy, also paid a visit, becoming the first member of Takaichi's cabinet to do so. Meanwhile, a cross-party group of more than 120 lawmakers visited together.

The acts have drawn strong reactions from experts and observers. Magosaki Ukeru, a former Japanese foreign ministry official, said that it is absolutely inappropriate for Japanese government officials and lawmakers to participate in such visits. He said the behavior not only raises serious concerns among neighboring countries, such as China, but also runs counter to commitments Japan has made to the international community.

Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, said that Takaichi had long visited Yasukuni Shrine before taking office and has maintained that stance after becoming prime minister, which he described as unacceptable.

Fujita argued that such practices fail to face history squarely and have been an obstacle to improving Japan's relations with neighboring countries. "As Japanese citizens, we must urge politicians to correct this wrong direction as soon as possible," he said.

Atsushi Koketsu, professor emeritus at Yamaguchi University in Japan, said Takaichi has long harbored a particular "zeal" for Yasukuni Shrine. He noted that the large collective visit to the shrine by lawmakers reflects, to some extent, a political climate of aligning with Takaichi's position.

He warned that this trend, to a certain degree, points to a growing tendency toward the strengthening of dangerous militarist thinking in Japan, which is undoubtedly provocative to countries that suffered from Japanese aggression, such as China and South Korea.

China and South Korea also voiced strong opposition.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the negative moves constitute a blatant provocation against international justice and an affront to human conscience, adding that China is strongly indignant over and deplores such practices.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government expresses deep disappointment and regret over the fact that Japan's leaders once again sent offerings to and paid respects at the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's war of aggression and enshrines war criminals.

The ministry urged Japanese leaders to squarely face history and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's imperial past, stressing that this would be an important foundation for the future-oriented development of South Korea-Japan relations based on mutual trust.

For decades, Japanese politicians' visits and ritual offerings to the Yasukuni Shrine have repeatedly sparked criticism both within Japan and abroad, particularly from countries that were victims of Japanese wartime aggression. Observers warn that the latest wave of visits risks further undermining trust and complicating regional relations at a time of heightened geopolitical sensitivity.

(With input from Xinhua)