China has lodged a "strong protest" over a visit by a Japanese cabinet minister to a controversial war shrine, calling it "another provocative action" following the Japanese prime minister's own visit that sharply angered both Seoul and Beijing.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying made the remarks late Wednesday, shortly after Japan's minister for internal affairs, Yoshitaka Shindo, paid his respects at the Yasukuni shrine. The shrine honors 14 Class A war criminals convicted by an Allied tribunal after World War II, and is a reminder for both Koreans and Chinese of Japan's wartime atrocities during World War II.

Shindo's visit occurred six days after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid homage to the shrine, drawing scathing criticism from South Korea and China. The U.S. also expressed disappointment over Abe's visit to the shrine.

“We strongly protest the Internal Affairs Minister's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine," Hua said in a statement.

"This is another provocative action taken by the Japanese cabinet member following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's blatant visit to the Yasukuni Shrine," Hua said.

With visits to the shrine, Hua criticized Abe and other Japanese leaders for attempting to "defend militarist war criminals and challenge the outcome of the world's anti-fascist war and the post-war international order."

"People from China and other Asian countries will by no means allow Japan to set back the wheel of history. We solemnly urge Japan to repent for its past transgressions and change its course," Hua said. (Yonhap News)