Chinese newspaper prints mushroom clouds on map of Japan

A Chinese newspaper’s graphic showing a mushroom cloud engulfing the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has drawn a strong rebuke from Japan’s foreign minister.

The weekly Chongqing Youth News, from the southwestern city of Chongqing, printed the graphic in its July 3 edition with the words “Japan wants a war again,” in Chinese and English, Reuters reported.

“As the butcher of World War Two, the blood on Japan’s hands has yet to dry,” the newspaper wrote in an accompanying article that remains available on its website.

The graphic, which appeared to have been removed from the website, showed clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in reference to the bombs the United States released over the cities toward the end of WWII.

“As foreign minister of the only country that has suffered nuclear attacks, and as a politician from Hiroshima, I cannot tolerate this,” said Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

“I have instructed the ministry to refer the case swiftly to the paper through the Consulate General of Japan in Chongqing, and to make a strong protest — after confirming the facts about the report,” he told reporters, The New York Times reported.