The Chinese government has expressed disapproval of the visit by three Japanese cabinet ministers to a controversial Shinto shrine honoring war victims during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WWII.

"The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of the wars of aggression launched by Japanese militarism. August 15 is the day when the Japanese militarism declared an unconditional surrender. Japan's wrong attitude towards the history issue is once again revealed considering that some Japanese politicians chose this day to pay tribute to the Yasukuni Shrine which honors Class A criminals of the Second World War and beautifies the wars of aggression," Hua Chunying, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said in a statement on Saturday.

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Haruko Arimura, Japanese women's empowerment minister, Eriko Yamatani, disaster management minister, and Sanae Takaichi, internal affairs minister, were the officials who visited the shrine to pay homage to Japanese victims of the war.

A group of 66 Japanese lawmakers also visited the shrine and paid their respects en-masse.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been heavily criticized by for his was speech on the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, could not personally visit the shrine to pay his respects. Abe, however, bought a tamagushi ritual offering and sent his aide Koichi Hagiuda to make the offering on his behalf.

Hua said Japan needs to honestly face its history of military aggression and invasion in order to move into the future and gain the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

She added that this year - marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression - is important, and should lead the international community to review history and reaffirm the commitment to a future without war.

South Korea Foreign Ministry has also criticized the Japan officials visiting the Yasukuni Shrine.

"Today, Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe again made an offering at the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's history of colonial pillage and war of aggression, while some cabinet members and politicians pushed ahead with paying their respects," Seoul's statement read.

The Yasukuni Shrine was created to honor over 2.4 million Japanese victims of the war; up to 14 Class A war criminals are among those honored.

TagsYasukuni Shrine, Yasukuni Shrine Controversy 2015, 70th Anniversary WWII, Eriko Yamatani, Haruko Arimura, Sanae Takaichi, 70th Anniversary Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression