Abe, China's Wang Agree to Pave Way for Xi Visit to Japan

Tokyo, Oct. 23 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan agreed Wednesday to boost efforts for improving the bilateral relationship and realizing a planned visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping next spring. In a 20-minute meeting with Wang at the State Guest House Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Abe called for a peaceful solution to violent antigovernment protests in Hong Kong through self-restraint and dialogue among the parties concerned. "It is important that a free and open Hong Kong prospers under the 'one country, two systems' model," Abe said. Wang, a close aide to Xi and a former member of the Communist Party of China's top-level politburo standing committee, attended Tuesday's "Sokuirei-Seiden-no-Gi" enthronement proclamation ceremony for Japanese Emperor Naruhito. In the meeting, Abe sought positive responses from China over its import regulations on Japanese food that were introduced after the March 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Abe also called on China to respond positively on security issues in the East China Sea, including waters around the Senkaku Islands in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa. The Japanese-administered islands are claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu. He expressed concerns over Japanese nationals who have been held in China. Separately, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga held talks with Wang over lunch. At a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao later on Wednesday, Abe expressed his eagerness to further strengthen ties between Japan and the United States after Tokyo and Washington signed a bilateral trade agreement earlier this month. The prime minister kicked off on Monday a series of bilateral meetings with heads of state and other leaders from abroad among the dignitaries on visits to Japan for the enthronement ceremony. On Wednesday, Abe held one-on-one talks with representatives from 17 countries including Singapore, Pakistan, Thailand and Brazil, besides Wang and Chao. He is set to meet with 13 foreign leaders on Thursday. END