criticism from China, South Korea

Japan marks end of World War II; Shinzo Abe draws criticism from China, South Korea

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Japan has marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II under criticism from neighbours China and South Korea, which said prime minister Shinzo Abe's speech failed to properly apologise for Tokyo's past aggression.

In a move likely to further strain relations with its neighbours, a group of politicians including cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine.

Neighbouring countries see the shrine as an ugly symbol of Japan's militarist past.

Mr Abe sent a ritual cash offering to Yasukuni for war dead but did not visit.

"I paid respects to the souls of those who sacrificed their precious lives in the past war," Mr Abe's aide Koichi Hagiuda said, adding he was visiting on behalf of Mr Abe in the premier's role as head of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Memorial services on the day Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945 came after Mr Abe on Friday delivered a closely watched war anniversary speech that expressed regret but also said future generations need not apologise for Japan's war record.

His remarks were welcomed by the United States but blasted by China as a non-apology, while South Korea derided it as "an unpardonable mockery of the Korean people".

China urged Japan to "take concrete actions to gain the trust of its Asian neighbours and the global community".

South Korean president Park Geun-Hye Mr Abe's speech "left much to be desired" and contained "regrettable elements", but did not elaborate on what those elements were.

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China explosions death

China explosions: Tianjin blasts death roll reaches 85, state media says, as chemical experts question firefighters' actions

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The death toll from two huge explosions that tore through an industrial area in Tianjin, China, has risen to 85, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Among the dead were 21 firefighters, Xinhua said, calling it possibly the highest death toll among fire crews since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.Shockwaves from the blasts late on Wednesday were felt by residents in apartment blocks kilometres away in the city of 15 million people.

The report said 721 were hospitalised as of Friday night, with 25 critical and 33 in a serious condition.

The explosions at city's port district — the world's 10th largest — were so large they were seen by satellites in space and registered on earthquake sensors.

Firefighters may have contributed to explosions: chemicals expert

China defended firefighters who initially hosed water on a burning warehouse, a response foreign experts said could have contributed to the explosions.

The warehouse, designed to house dangerous and toxic chemicals, was storing mainly ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and calcium carbide at the time, according to police.

Xinhua said several containers in the warehouse caught fire before the explosions.

Chemical safety experts said calcium carbide reacts with water to create acetylene, a highly explosive gas.

An explosion could be caused if firefighters sprayed the calcium carbide with water, they said.

David Leggett, a chemical safety expert based in California, said the acetylene explosion could have detonated the ammonium nitrate.

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