Japanese PM looks to boost ties through China visit

Japan's Prime Minister was headed Thursday to China for a summit, facing conditions his predecessors haven't enjoyed for years: warming relations, a boost in economic ties and almost no rhetoric over their historical grievances.

Yasuo Fukuda's trip follows a series of conciliatory gestures on both sides. Signs of improving relations have been gathering pace, helping to push aside long-standing disputes over territory, wartime history and a regional rivalry.

He will have separate meetings Friday with China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao in Beijing and also travel to Tianjin, Jinan and Qufu before returning to Japan on Sunday.

"I hope this visit can build the foundations for further progress in Japan-China relations," top government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura told reporters. "Japan will cooperate where necessary, but is also prepared to assert its views," he said.

In recent months, a Chinese warship dropped anchor off Tokyo, the first military visit by the communist nation to Japan since World War II. High-level economic talks in Beijing brought together the largest number of Cabinet officials from the two countries since they opened diplomatic ties 35 years ago. And the countries' prime ministers held friendly meetings at a regional summit in Singapore.

Tokyo, Thursday, AP