The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Liu Jieyi, on Wednesday criticized the Japanese prime minister’s recent visit to a controversial shrine as an “affront to international justice.” Speaking to reporters in a rare address in front of the Security Council chambers, Mr. Liu, in answer to a question, offered an impassioned attack on the visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine honors Japan’s war dead, including some convicted war criminals.

“It all boils down to whether a leader of a country should stand on the side of maintaining the principles and purposes of the charter of the United Nations or to side with war criminals,” Mr. Liu said.