Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Yasukuni shrine is not conducive to lowering tensions in the region or to improving relations with Japan's neighbors, a spokesperson for European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Friday.

The spokesperson said in a statement that Ashton took note of the visit by Abe to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Thursday.

"All countries in the region have reaffirmed their commitment to peace and stability in recent months," said the statement. "The EU has consistently emphasized the need to build on this by handling disputes with careful diplomacy and by refraining from actions which can raise tensions."

It said the EU urges the countries involved to build positive and constructive ties with their neighbors that will bolster confidence, defuse tensions and assure the long term stability of the region.

The war-linked Yasukuni shrine, which honors 14 class-A war criminals, has been as a symbol of Japan's past wartime militarism.

Abe's visit to the shrine has sparked worldwide condemnation and was also criticized by the United States.

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