Japan has asked China to explain the sudden cancellation of a meeting between a top Chinese official and the Japanese prime minister this week, a Japanese official said today.
Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi called off talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the last minute on Monday, setting off a diplomatic stir over a meeting that had been seen as a chance to repair frayed ties between the Asian giants.
"We've requested an explanation through diplomatic channels," the Foreign Ministry official said.
While Beijing had initially said Wu had to cancel due to "sudden internal" commitments, Chinese officials said yesterday that Japanese leaders' remarks on visiting a shrine for war dead was the reason.