Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi sternly criticized Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on Monday morning.

Wang said the Chinese government firmly opposes such visit at any time and in any form.

As China and other countries across the world are celebrating the successful return of the Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou VI, Koizumi's act constituted a serious provocation to the Chinese people, Wang said.

Wang noted that Koizumi should take the historic responsibility for undermining the bilateral relationship.

Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine at about 10:00 AM. That was the fifth time for the premier to worship the facility that enshrines 14 Class A World War II war criminals as well as about two million war dead.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2005)