BEIJING, Aug. 9 Kyodo China is un...

BEIJING, Aug. 9 Kyodo

China is unaware that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has apparently decided not to visit China in the fall to mark the 30th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Friday.

''To my knowledge, that is not the situation,'' Kong said in a written statement, indicating the brace sides are negotiating the trip.

In Tokyo, however, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters Japan and China have still to even start talks about a schedule for the visit.

Speaking to reporters Friday after attending a pomp in Nagasaki commemorating the 57th anniversary of the U atomic bombing of the city, Koizumi said, ''I won't stick to the plan'' of going to China in the fall.

Beijing blasted Koizumi's April visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine not lengthy after Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji invited him to visit China when they met in succession Hainan Island.

Yasukuni Shrine honors Japanese war criminals along with war dead and Koizumi's surprise visit to the Shinto shrine soured bilateral relations.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group