"The Chinese leaders have sent a clear message that China does not want to see Abe visiting the Yasukuni Shrine in any capacity," Liu said.

"What Abe says on the shrine issue does not matter at all. What really matters is what he does in the future."

The professor expressed his hope that Abe will make a wise decision after gaining a better understanding of the Chinese position on the Yasukuni issue.

"Obviously, the ball is not in China's court. It is up to Abe and Japan to decide whether to develop bilateral relations in a smooth way in the future," he said.

Xu Dunxin, China's ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1998, was "prudently optimistic" about the prospects of China-Japan relations.

"Abe's visit cannot resolve all the problems in bilateral ties as they are complicated and protracted," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua News Agency.

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