The conservative paid the quiet pilgrimage to the Yasukuni shrine well in advance of the ruling party's September 20 vote for premier, believing he would have been under more scrutiny later, the reports said.

Outgoing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has prayed annually at the shrine, infuriating neighbouring Asian nations which see the site as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

South Korea and China both lashed out at Abe, who as chief cabinet secretary is the top aide to Koizumi.

"It is very regrettable that Japan's incumbent chief cabinet secretary has visited the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Class-A war criminals despite concern and criticism from the international community," a South Korean foreign ministry statement said.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang also expressed his concern at the report and said he hoped that Japan was trying its best to restore good relations between the two Asian powers.

"It is a common aspiration of the two peoples and conforms with the fundamental interest of the two countries for Japanese leaders to stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine," Qin said, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.

The Yasukuni shrine honors 2.5 million war dead along with 14 Class-A, or top, war criminals from World War II.

Abe, 51, refused to comment on the reports of his visit, all of which quoted anonymous sources.

"I don't comment on whether I go or not," Abe told a news conference.

Asked if he would visit the shrine as prime minister, Abe said: "There is no change to my feeling that I want to continue praying for the spirits of the war dead."

The news reports said Abe explained to those around him, including Koizumi, that his visit during the shrine's spring rites was "personal" as he did not use his government car and had made a donation using his own money.

"He must have thought he'd be better off to go clandestinely before circumstances would make it more difficult as the shrine gets more controversial," Jiji Press news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying.

Koizumi defended Abe, although he did not directly comment on the reported visit itself.

"The decision is up to individuals," Koizumi said.

"Isn't this usual?" he said of criticism from China and South Korea. "Those who oppose it are wrong."

Koizumi has gone to the shrine each year since taking office in 2001 and there is wide speculation he will visit on August 15, the sensitive anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

"It is free to speculate. I will make my decision appropriately," Koizumi told reporters.

Abe's rival Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who trails far behind in opinion polls, has said he would not go to the Yasukuni shrine as premier out of consideration for repairing relations with neighboring countries.

Tanigaki criticized Abe on Friday, saying: "A person who holds the position in the prime minister's office needs to consider diplomatic issues."

Jiji Press reported that Foreign Minister Taro Aso, normally considered to be a conservative hawk, will announce next week he would shun Yasukuni as prime minister.

Aso, who is yet to officially announce his candidacy, will also propose taking away Yasukuni's religious corporation status so that the government can separate the names of Class-A war criminals from the shrine, Jiji said.

Opinion polls showed a drop in support for visits to the shrine after reports last month that late wartime emperor Hirohito stopped going because it honored war criminals.

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