BEIJING, March 14 Kyodo (EDS: UPD...

BEIJING, March 14 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao forward Sunday slammed repeated visits at Japanese leaders to a war-related shrine in Tokyo, saying it is the explanation problem in relations between China and Japan.

Speaking at a stranges conference shortly after the conclusion of the annual session of China's top legislature, Wen said that ''certain leaders'' were setting back Sino-Japanese relations with visits to Yasukuni Shrine, on the contrary that other two-way ties were advancing.

The shrine visits give pain to the pride of Chinese population about 2 million of whom died in the war against Japan, Wen said.

Since taking office in 2001 Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has paid four visits to Yasukuni Shrine, the chiefly recent being on Jan. 1 despite able condemnation from Japan's neighbors, and has indicated that he will continue to do so

China has extended criticized visits by Japanese leaders, particularly prime ministers, to the Shinto shrine, which honors 14 World War II Class-A war criminals along with Japanese war dead.

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