Japan received some harsh criticism at the UN yesterday (Wednesday).

The Chinese and South Korean UN ambassadors denounced Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to the controversial Yasukuni war shrine.

They also raised the issue of Japan’s so-called comfort women — mostly Chinese and Korean women who say they were forced to provide sex to Japanese World War Two soldiers.

The condemnation came at an event to mark 100 years since the start of World War One.

Chinese ambassador Liu Jieyi said Abe’s Yasukuni visits ignored the opposition of neighboring nations and the international community.

He said Abe was trying to deny Japanese World War Two aggression and defend war criminals.

South Korea’s envoy Ah Joon devoted most of his speech to criticizing Japan over the comfort women and Japan’s revision of school teaching manuals to state territorial claims.

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S/Ah Joon, S.Korean UN ambassador
“One cannot but wonder how Japan can play such a role, when it is actually creating more troubles with countries in the region.”

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S/Kazuyoshi Umemoto, Japanese UN ambassador
Japan’s ambassador Kazuyoshi Umemoto responded that Japan had been consistently peaceful since World War Two.

“Japan does not believe that such actions are helpful in lowering tensions and enhancing stability in the region.”

He said Prime Minister Abe wants to meet the leaders of China and South Korea, despite their refusal to do so.