For more, we turn to Michael Yahuda, a visiting scholar at George Washington University here in Washington.

NPR: Controversy Over Shrine Visit Ripples Across Pacific

Professor MICHAEL YAHUDA (Visiting Scholar, George Washington University): The shrine is a longstanding one, to memorialize the souls of the war-dead.

NPR: Controversy Over Shrine Visit Ripples Across Pacific

Michael Yahuda, of the London School of Economics, says China's hard line probably has a lot to do with jockeying for power among Chinese leaders, as sweeping changes to the party and government hierarchy are contemplated for 2012-13.

ECONOMIST: Rocky relations between China and Japan