China has sharpened its criticism of a decision by the Tokyo board of education to adopt a controversial history textbook for use at a metropolitan-area school, expressing "strong dissatisfaction and indignation," according to media reports Saturday.

According to Chinese newspapers, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Friday the textbook was "opposed by Asian neighbors including China when it was made public in 2001, and has been despised by the majority of the Japanese public."

The wording was stronger than a statement Kong issued Thursday, in which he said Japan should "educate the young generation with the accurate view of history."

At issue is whether Japan can "deal with that period of history of aggression with accurate recognition of it," the earlier statement said.