Kan won't be visiting China for expo - media

Japan's Prime Minister-to-be Naoto Kan (L), who is also leader of the ruling Democratic Party, talks with outgoing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama during the party's lawmakers' meeting in Tokyo June 7, 2010. [Agencies]

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister-elect Naoto Kan has decided not to visit China on Saturday, designated "Japan Day" at the World Expo in Shanghai, which could have been his diplomatic debut as premier, the Japan Today reported on Monday.

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Kan is likely to make his first overseas trip as Japan's leader when he attends a Group of Eight summit meeting, starting June 25 in Canada, it reported quoting government sources. Outgoing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama might go to the Shanghai expo as a proxy for Kan, it added.

The Japanese government has apparently decided to cancel Kan's China visit to the expo because there would be no talks between him and Chinese leaders, which would make his diplomatic debut "lack an impact," the sources was quoted as saying.

Earlier Japanese media reports said that the incoming prime minister's planned trip to China was actually arranged before former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama's sudden resignation last week.