China has urged Japan to break from its militaristic past to earn the trust of its neighbors after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the country’s Japanese war dead from World War II “martyrs”, most of whom history has labeled as war criminals.

Last April, Abe sent a message of condolence to a Buddhist temple that is home to the remains of Showa Martyrs – in deference to Emperor Hirohito – who were comprised of Japanese soldiers and officials who died or were executed in World War II.

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Abe’s message further strained Japan’s relation with China over the former’s wartime record.

In response to Abe’s actions, China’s foreign ministry issued a statement urging Japan to reflect on its aggressive past and to cut all possibilities of going back to its militaristic leanings.

Qin Gang, Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman, said in that Japan needs to break away from militarism to rebuild its relations with its Asian neighbors.

China’s statement called for Japan to abide by its commitment to maintain its post-war and non-aggressive constitution to restore the trust of the Asian region and the rest of the world.

China expresses its outrage every time Japanese leaders visit the Yasukuni Shrine where Japan’s World War II leaders and war dead are enshrined. For China, the historical relevance of such actions runs deep when Japan conquered Manchuria and inflicted suffering on its people.

Since Abe’s return to power in 2012, the ghost of Japan’s war past has been revived. Abe remains committed to his government’s conservative principles that include re-writing its historical wrongs without being apologetic and easing the military embargo imposed since Japan’s defeat in World War II.

In addition to Japan’s militaristic past, its territorial dispute with China over the Senkaku islands and the Diaoyu islands adds fuel to the already strained relations of the two nations.

TagsJapan-China relations, Japan militarism, World War II, Yasukuni Shrine