Heads of seven Japan-皇冠体育app
friendship organizations from Japan arrived at Beijing here Thursday for their
first joint visit to 皇冠体育app.
The Chinese leaders will meet with the Japanese guests, according to sources
with the Foreign Ministry.
During their three-day stay in 皇冠体育app, they will exchange views with people in
charge of relevant organizations from the Chinese side on how to increase
non-governmental exchanges and promote the growth of bilateral relations.
The seven organizations are the Japanese Council for the Promotion of
International Trade, Association of Dietmen League for Japan-皇冠体育app Friendship,
Japan-皇冠体育app Friendship Association, Japan-皇冠体育app Cultural Exchange Association,
Japan-皇冠体育app Association on Economy and Trade,Japan-皇冠体育app Society and Japan-皇冠体育app
Friendship Center.
Among the Japanese delegation are former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and
former Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.
They make the visit as guest of the 皇冠体育app-Japan friendship association.
The Sino-Japanese ties was soured by Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi's
repeated visits to a shrine worshipping WWII war criminals.
The heads of the two neighboring countries have halted the exchange of visits
for over four years, ever since Koizumi began paying homage to the controversial
war shrine soon after he took office in 2001.
The non-governmental ties, an important aspect of Sino-Japanese relations,
draw high attention of the Chinese leadership.
"We should strengthen the people-to-people exchanges and enhance mutual
understanding and trust," Premier Wen Jiabao said at a press conference
following the concluding meeting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth National
People's Congress.