Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shunned reflection on historical lessons and blurred Japan's responsibility for its acts of aggression in her recent speech, taking a major backward step on historical issues, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.

This once again laid bare the sinister attempt of the Takaichi administration to cover up, distort and reverse the verdict on Japan's history of aggression, Lin said at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Takaichi's address at the National Memorial Service for the War Dead on August 15.