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Speaking to Japanese media in Beijing ahead of a three-day visit to Japan next week, Wen said that "individual Japanese leaders have visited (the shrine) numerous times and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people," Kyodo News agency reported.

"I hope this will never happen again," the agency quoted Wen as saying.

Yasukuni Shrine, which honors the country's 2.5 million war dead, is a diplomatic flash point between Japan and its neighbors China and South Korea, which see the shrine as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has refused to make clear whether he plans to visit the shrine and has said he will not confirm any visits he may make. On Wednesday, he repeated that policy of ambiguity.

"My position on the Yasukuni issue is as stated before," Abe said.

Tokyo-Beijing ties soured under Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, who repeatedly visited the shrine despite China's protests. Relations have improved since Abe took office last September, and he has not since visited the shrine.

Wen _ who last month described his coming trip as "an ice-thawing journey" _ said China places great importance on its ties with Japan, and he hopes Abe will visit China by the year's end, Kyodo reported.

Abe visited Beijing shortly after taking office in September, and said last week he is considering returning to China.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said the possibility of a visit would be discussed when Wen comes to Japan.

"Of course we will consider this in a positive light," Shiozaki told reporters in Tokyo.

Wen also expressed hopes that progress can be made in negotiations over the two countries' competing claims to gas reserves in the East China Sea, Kyodo said.

Last week, another round of talks over the issue ended without any result despite hopes that the issue could be resolved before Wen's visit. Both nations are eager to develop new sources of energy and have held talks to try to settle the dispute since 2004.

Wen travels to Japan on April 11, and is slated to meet with Abe and make a speech in Parliament. His visit is the first to Japan by a Chinese premier in eight years, according to China's Foreign Ministry.