Japan Prime Minister Abe urges dialogue with China, Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants to explain to leaders in China and South Korea about his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors the country's war dead, AP reported.. Japan has not made any direct overtures, Abe said, but he hopes the leaders can meet to help resolve antagonisms over territorial disputes and historical issues. "At the moment, there is no plan for a summit meeting, but since there are some difficulties and issues we should be speaking together without setting any preconditions," he told reporters after making a new year's visit to the Grand Shrine of Ise, in western Japan. "I would really like to explain the intent of my visits to the Yasukuni Shrine directly to them," Abe said. "We are not making any direct approach on this, but the door to dialogue is open. I would like to hold Japan-China and Japan-South Korea summit meetings. After the Yasukuni visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the visit had closed the door for dialogue and that Abe would not be welcome in China.