Shrine visits reflect militarism

Despite fresh protests from Beijing and Seoul, a Japanese cabinet minister and nearly 150 lawmakers visited the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday. The shrine commemorates Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals from World War II, and such visits are highly provocative to Japan's neighbors that were the victims of Japan's brutal militarism.

Less than four months ago, Abe's own visit to the shrine not only raised tensions with China and South Korea, it also prompted Washington to give him a diplomatic slap on the wrist and express its "disappointment" at his provocative action.

The visits on Tuesday, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ritual offering on Monday, reflect the infatuation with militarism that characterizes Abe's administration, and were an embarrassing slap in the face for visiting US President Barack Obama, demonstrating the dwindling influence Washington has on Japan's right-wing politicians, said a Xinhua commentary.