China strongly condemns Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine and said Japan must take responsibility for the act, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.

"The Chinese government expresses strong indignation toward the visit, which is a blatant challenge to historical justice and conscience of mankind and severely hurts the feelings of people in China and other victimized Asian countries," Qin said. "We express our strong protest and severe condemnation."

Qin's remarks came close on the heels of Abe's official visit to the shrine, where Class A World War II criminals are enshrined.

Abe's visit to the shrine is the first by an incumbent Japanese prime minister since August 2006.