Amid rising tension over Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain, the leaders of Japan and China have no plans to meet when they fly to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly next week, a top government spokesman said Thursday.
"There is no move from either side to actively set up (a meeting) so far," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a news conference.
Sengoku tried to play down the situation, saying it was simply a matter of scheduling. But the lack of action reflects the growing tension between Tokyo and Beijing over the row.
Last year, then Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama met with President Hu Jintao in New York for an hour.
China also postponed a visit scheduled for earlier this week by senior lawmaker Li Jianguo, as well as talks aimed at signing a treaty over joint gas field development.