Japan, China agree to repair strained ties

Tokyo, April 9, (dpa/GNA) - Lawmakers of Japan and China agreed Thursday to attempt to mend bilateral relations badly frayed over a territorial spat and wartime history, as parliamentary exchanges resumed for the first time in three years.

Masahiko Komura, vice president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told visiting Ji Bingxuan, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, that he was pleased with the restart of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

"A strategic relationship of mutual benefit between the two countries is based on having exchanges at various levels," said Komura, a former foreign minister who heads the Japan-China parliamentary friendship league.

Ji told Japanese lawmakers that his Chinese parliamentary delegation hopes to turn the "cloudy" bilateral ties to "sunny" ones and "continue developing them in a healthy manner."

"We must both work hard to overcome difficulties" by solving issues between the two countries, said Ji, who leads a Chinese delegation.

Tensions have escalated between Japan and China especially after Tokyo's purchase of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea in September 2012. The move set off massive protests in dozens of Chinese cities and a boycott of Japanese products.

The Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan, where they are known as Diaoyu and Tiaoyutai, respectively.

Lawmakers of the two countries are to hold a meeting of the Japan-China Parliamentary Exchange Commission on Thursday and Friday to discuss cooperation in areas such as disaster prevention.

GNA