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TOKYO : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe voiced hope Tuesday for expanding cooperation with Beijing as his government said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit from April 11.
Wen will be the first Chinese leader to come to Tokyo since 2000 as the two countries work to improve relations which have been badly strained over history issues and energy disputes.
During his three-day stay, Wen will meet with Abe and Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, Japan's foreign ministry said.
The two nations also hope to hold a major energy seminar during Wen's visit with participants drawn from government ministers and leaders of some 100 Japanese and Chinese energy firms, officials said.
"We are making efforts to make Sino-Japan ties a relationship of strategic and mutual benefit," Abe told a press conference. "I believe Premier Wen's visit will be an opportunity to advance our effort."
China had refused summits with Abe's predecessor Junichiro Koizumi due to his visits to a war shrine seen by China as symbol of wartime atrocities.
Asked about the Yasukuni shrine, Abe stood by his position of refusing to comment on whether he will go.
Abe said improved ties were crucial in pressing North Korea to end its nuclear drive and resolve a row over its kidnappings with Japan, a major bilateral dispute.
"I hope we will engage in dialogues over a broad range of issues. We can cooperate especially in the environment and energy sectors," Abe said.
Abe visited China in October just after taking office in a bid to repair relations.
"If Prime Minister Abe's visit to China... can be described as an ice breaker, then I hope my visit to Japan will be an ice thawer," Wen said this month.
Japan and China had earlier announced the visit without giving the exact dates. Wen will be the first Chinese leader to visit since then premier Zhu Rongji in 2000.
South Korea's Yonhap News agency, quoting an unnamed Chinese source, said Wen had originally planned a longer trip but cut it short due to Abe's controversial remarks on World War II sex slaves.
Japanese officials have declined comment on that report.
Abe earlier this month denied that Japanese soldiers directly coerced so-called "comfort women" into army brothels.
His comments caused an uproar, in particular in the United States and South Korea.
Abe, trying to contain the damage, on Monday renewed Japan's apology to comfort women. - AFP/ch
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