2010-05-31 07:01

TOKYO -- Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Sunday evening called for both sides to deepen China-Japan friendship, playing down problems and misunderstanding between the two countries and peoples.

"Although there are still some problems and conflicts between the two countries, and some misunderstanding between the two peoples, I am confident the China-Japan friendship is rooted among the two peoples and we must inherit and push forward the friendship," said Wen while addressing representatives of China-Japan friendship organizations and Chinese societies based in Japan.

Wen arrived in Tokyo Sunday afternoon, kicking off his official visit to Japan. This is his second visit to Japan since 2007 when he paid the "ice-melting" journey to the neighboring country.

In the past three years, Sino-Japanese relations have made progress on the track of healthy development, said Wen, urging the two countries to take history as a mirror and look into the future.

Wen said that against the background of tackling the global crisis, China and Japan need to jointly promote cooperation in various fields to overcome difficulties and seek common development.

Echoing Wen's remarks, Masahiko Komura, president of the Japanese Diet's Japan-China Friendship League, said the two countries should enhance non-governmental exchanges, increase mutual understanding and lift bilateral ties to a new level.

Wen flew to Tokyo from South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju after winding up his visit to South Korea and attending the third trilateral summit of China, Japan and South Korea.

Wen is expected to meet Japanese Emperor Akihito, hold talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and meet speakers of the senate and the house during his visit, which lasts from Sunday to Tuesday.

China and Japan will also sign agreements on food safety, energy conservation, environmental protection and e-commerce.

Japan is the second stop of Wen's four-nation Asia tour, which will also take him to Mongolia and Myanmar.