Shrine visits biggest block to Sino-Japan ties -Wen

BEIJING, Mar 14: China-Japan relations face ''many difficulties'', but the biggests stumbling block is Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a controversial war shrine, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said today.

''If this is not solved, then it will be difficult for Sino-Japanese relations to develop smoothly,'' Wen told a news conference at the end of the annual session of parliament.

Koizumi has visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead, including war criminals, several times since becoming Prime Minister in 2001.

Differences over Yasukuni are among a range of issues -- many connected to Japan's invasion and occupation of parts of China from 1931-1945 -- that have soured relations between the Asian economic giants.

Koizumi has repeatedly said he visits the shrine to pray for peace and honour the dead, not glorify militarism.

REUTERS