Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Wednesday rejected the latest call from China on him to stop visiting the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, Kyodo News reported.

"Yasukuni won't be a diplomatic card," Koizumi was quoted as telling reporters at his official residence, referring to objections by Chinese officials to his annual visits in meetings this week with visiting Japanese politicians.

Koizumi's comment was made ahead of Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiko Nikai's scheduled meeting later in the day with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, the highest-level bilateral dialogue in the past two years.

The Sino-Japanese relations have deteriorated to the lowest level since their normalization in 1972 because of the Yasukuni Shrine issue.

Since taking office in 2001, Koizumi has visited for five consecutive years the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A Japanese war criminals, in defiance of strong protests from China and other Asian nations.

Source: Xinhua