China and Japan compare each other to Lord Voldemort, crossing line that cannot be uncrossed
Japan and China have always had an antagonistic relationship—and after several failed invasions and a pair of Sino-Japanese wars, this can only be expected. But relations between the two countries have reached a new low, now that each has compared the other to Lord Voldemort, megalomaniacal dark wizard and the primary antagonist of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series.
The war of words began after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, built to honor those who have died in service to Japan. As of 1978, the honored dead include several Japanese soldiers who were convicted of war crimes committed against Chinese citizens during World War II, a fact that has caused tension between the two nations before. And now Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the UK, has put that tension into literary terms, criticizing the visit while also giving a big hint as to how he passes the time on those long flights between London and Beijing: