Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has abandoned plans to visit China this spring after Tokyo stoked anger in Beijing with its tough response to China's moves in the disputed South China Sea and North Korea's recent rocket launch, diplomatic sources have said.
China recently informed Japan that it has no plan to arrange for Kishida to visit the country, saying more time is needed to prepare a better environment, the sources said Saturday.
Earlier this year, Kishida had sounded out Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi through diplomatic channels over a plan to visit China this spring.