( CNN ) -- The head of Japan 's major opposition party and favorite to become the nation 's next prime minister , Shinzo Abe , visited a controversial shrine Wednesday in a move likely to ratchet up already heightened tensions with China . The visit comes as the nations are locked in a dispute over a remote island chain in the East China Sea . The story behind the islands dispute . In recent weeks , the Chinese navy has been flexing its muscles in the region , sending warships to the waters near the islands . Seven were seen in the area Wednesday , according to Japan 's Defense Ministry . Past visits by Japanese prime ministers and other political leaders to Yasukuni Shrine , where 14 of Japan 's Class-A war criminals are enshrined with thousands of Japanese soldiers , have ignited a firestorm of controversy with China as well as North Korea and South Korea . The shrine is regarded by the nations as a symbol of Japan 's imperial military past . All three countries suffered under Japan 's military aggression in World War II . Responding to a question about the visit , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Wednesday that Japan should abide by its promises and handle controversial issues responsibly , the state-run Xinhua news service reported . Read more : China 's top banker snubs Tokyo IMF meeting . In September , the Japanese government bought the disputed islands -- known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China and Taiwan -- from the Japanese family that owned them for 2.05 billion yen ( U.S. $ 26.2 million ) . China says its claim to the islands goes back hundreds of years and feels Japan is trying to undermine its sovereignty . Japan says it saw no trace of Chinese control of the islands in an 1885 survey , so it formally recognized them as Japanese sovereign territory in 1895 . Japan then sold the islands in 1932 to descendants of the original settlers . The Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 only served to cloud the issue further . The islands were administered by the U.S. occupation force after the war . But in 1972 , Washington returned them to Japan as part of its withdrawal from Okinawa . Abe , a former prime minister , is the head of the opposition Liberal Democrats , who are expected to win a majority of seats in the next elections . Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has promised to hold elections `` soon . '' Read more : U.S. sailors arrested in Okinawa rape case .
The Yasukuni Shrine houses Japanese soldiers and war criminals . China , as well as North and South Korea , say the shrine is a sign of Japan 's imperial past . China says Japan is trying to undermine its sovereignty . China and Japan claim sovereignty over uninhabited East China Sea islands .