Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at the press conference on Tuesday Photo: Foreign Ministry website

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent an offering to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead on Thursday, prompting China and South Korea to call on Japan to reflect on its wartime actions.

Abe sent a "masakaki" ceremonial evergreen branch to the shrine for the autumn festival that runs until Sunday, a spokeswoman at Yasukuni said.

However, domestic media said Abe would not visit the shrine, which is viewed by China, South Korea and other Asian nations as a symbol of Japan's past military aggression.

"We have noted Japan's negative moves on the Yasukuni Shrine issue and lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Thursday, stressing that "the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of the Japanese militarism's war of aggression against foreign countries."

"Our government expresses deep regret that leaders of Japan's government and parliament once again sent an offering and worshipped at the Yasukuni Shrine that beautifies the history of Japan's aggressive war," South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The shrine honors 14 class A war criminals responsible for the war of aggression.

"The actions of some Japanese politicians once again reflect Japan's wrong attitude toward the history of aggression. We urge the Japanese side to earnestly abide by, face up to, and self-examine its attitude and commitments to the history of aggression," Geng said.