''To my knowledge, that is not the situation,'' Kong said in a written statement, indicating the two sides are negotiating the trip.

In Tokyo, however, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters Japan and China have yet to even start talks about a schedule for the visit.

Speaking to reporters Friday after attending a ceremony in Nagasaki commemorating the 57th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city, Koizumi said, ''I won't stick to the plan'' of going to China in the fall.

Beijing blasted Koizumi's April visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine not long after Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji invited him to visit China when they met on Hainan Island.

Yasukuni Shrine honors Japanese war criminals along with war dead and Koizumi's surprise visit to the Shinto shrine soured bilateral relations.