China cancelled a planned visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan on Tuesday.

The spokesman attributed the cancellation to the "current gloomy situations". "The visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura is not at a proper time and it is inconvenient for China to receive his visit," Kong said at a regular press conference.

It was reported that the Japanese foreign minister was scheduled to visit China later in October.

Source: Xinhua