Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent an offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, his office said on Thursday, drawing criticism from South Korea and China which view the shrine as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent an offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, his office said on Thursday, a move that has previously been criticised by South Korea and China, which view the shrine as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past.

Japan has conveyed to China its concern over the military drills conducted around Taiwan on Monday, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki told a regular press conference.

China’s show of force around Taiwan in a day of massive military exercises has fuelled alarm in Taipei, which wants other democracies to push back harder against Beijing. The fact that the People’s Liberation Army had 153 aircraft and 36 naval and coastguard ships around Taiwan on Monday,

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, staged a day of large-scale drills around the island on Monday