U.S. reaffirms disappointment at Abe's visit to Yasukuni

The United States has reiterated its disappointment with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to a controversial war shrine last week.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday that the U.S. is 'disappointed that Japan's leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions' in the region.

Abe's trip to the Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan's war dead including 14 Class A war criminals from World War Two, has sparked worldwide condemnation, with officials warning that it will adversely affect regional peace and stability in East Asia.

The U.S. has repeatedly said, however, that it hopes Japan and its neighbors will find 'constructive ways to deal with sensitive issues from the past.'