Likening Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni war shrine to "pouring salt into an open wound", China's ambassador to Japan has urged a halt to the pilgrimages to improve Sino-Japanese relations. Ambassador Wang Yi told a news conference that Beijing wants to see a Japan-China leaders� summit take place, but "political obstacles" must be overcome. No formal meeting has taken place since Koizumi took office. In 2001, Koizumi began annual visits to the shrine where 14 Class-A war criminals are honored among the war dead.
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