China hopes that Japanese leaders will keep the promise to reflect on history and avoid activities that caused offense in countries that were victims of Japan's wartime aggression, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing Wednesday.  

The Fukuoka District Court in Japan ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine violates the constitution. Junichiro Koizumi claimed that he will continue to visit Yasukuni Shrine despite it being ruled unconstitutional.

Kong said that taking a proper attitude towards history concerns the political basis of Sino-Japanese relations and is an important condition for Japan to be trusted by Asia and the international community.

The Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Class-A war criminals from World War II along with the 2.47 million Japanese war dead since the mid-19th century.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2004)