BEIJING (Kyodo) A Chinese official in charge of investigating food poisoning cases in Japan triggered by Chinese-made frozen dumplings has been replaced, a Chinese source said.

A Japanese diplomatic source in Beijing also said that Yu Xinmin, deputy director general of the criminal investigation department at the Public Security Ministry, has not been seen in recent meetings with Japan over the cases.

The Chinese source said Yu was removed from the post for mishandling the cases, in which 10 people became sick in Japan after eating pesticide-tainted frozen "gyoza" meat dumplings.

Yu told a press conference in February that Chinese investigators believed it was highly unlikely that the gyoza were contaminated in China.

The results of the Chinese investigation conflicted with the Japanese police finding that the pesticide made its way into the dumplings in China.

Yu visited Japan in February as the head of the Chinese team for investigative cooperation with Japanese authorities.

China informed Japan in July that dumplings made at the same plant also triggered food poisoning cases in China in June, a revelation some believe could be key to resolving the dispute over where the contamination took place.