Shrine staff at Yasukuni Shrine are pictured in a corridor in Tokyo on Aug 15, 2017. (Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

BEIJING - China denounced Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's monetary offering to the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, the 72nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.     

"China strongly opposes Japan's move as the shrine honors Class-A convicted war criminals directly responsible for Japanese aggression in WWII," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a regular news briefing.     

Only by viewing history in the correct way can Japan possibly unload its historical burden

Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry spokesperson 

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Lugouqiao Incident, which marked the beginning of Japan's all-out invasion of China, including the Nanjing Massacre that killed 300,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians.    

"China has demanded Japan face and deeply reflect on its history of aggression and end militarism to gain the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community," Hua said. 

Two days earlier, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK aired a documentary about Unit 731, a Japanese germ warfare unit that committed atrocities during the occupation of northeast China from 1935 to 1945.   

Lethal human experiments undertaken by the Japanese military cannot be denied, Hua said. "Only by viewing history in the correct way can Japan possibly unload its historical burden."  

China appreciates some Japanese for their courage to reveal the truth and hopes Japan can listen to the call for justice and respect the feelings of the people of China and other Asian countries, the spokesperson said.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows after placing a flower onto an altar during a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug 15, 2017. (Toru YAMANAKA / AFP)