Japan-China ties nosedive again

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi on Monday abruptly cut short a goodwill visit to Japan by one day and cancelled a meeting she had requested with Koizumi, saying only that she had pressing duties at home.

The Chinese foreign ministry later indicated that the reason was Japan's insistence on Koizumi visiting the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo which honors war dead including convicted war criminals.

"They suddenly cancelled the schedule but gave no word of apology. It is understandable if they have urgent matters but they should know society just does not function without saying 'I'm sorry,'" Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura told a news conference.

Internal Affairs and Communic-ations Minister Taro Aso warned that Wu had caused anti-Chinese sentiment among Japanese people to rise.

"Their manner is totally out of common (diplomatic) practices. It has greatly contributed to fanning anti-Chinese feelings," Aso said.

Education Minister Nariaki Nakayama also joined the Japanese government's unusually strongly-worded criticism of its neighbour.

"I thought China was a country that values manners. I am very sorry to think that they must have forgotten such things," Nakayama said.

His ministry last month caused an uproar in China and South Korea after approving a nationalist history textbook seen as playing down atrocities by Japanese forces during World War II.

The textbooks set off major rallies in China that damaged Japanese diplomatic property and also denounced Tokyo's cherished bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.