China has denied a Kyodo News report that the Chinese and South Korean governments intend to accept one visit to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's successor.

The report is "totally groundless," a spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said late Saturday night. "The Chinese side's position on the issue of visits to Yasukuni Shrine where Class-A war criminals are honored is very clear and there is no change."

"We hope this political obstacle hindering the normal development of China-Japan relations will be removed as soon as possible so that (bilateral relations) can be put back on a normal track of development," the spokesman said.

The Chinese and South Korean governments intend to accept one visit to Yasukuni Shrine by Koizumi's successor on condition that no more visits are made during his tenure, Kyodo News reported Saturday, citing informed Japanese sources.