The agreement was reached during the talks in Tokyo on May 31 between visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Both leaders also agreed to hold negotiations to find a consensus on the East Sea issue, speed up the introduction of a maritime communications mechanism between both defence departments, and negotiate and sign an agreement on maritime rescue services as soon as possible.

PM Hatoyama stressed that Japan wishes to strengthen strategic relations with China as this would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

While addressing the representatives of several China-Japan friendship organisations and Chinese societies in Japan the day before, Premier Wen said that both countries could set up a durable strategic partnership by enhancing mutual trust through joint actions such as coping with the recent global financial crisis.

Mr. Wen arrived in Tokyo on May 30 for a three-day official visit-the first by a Chinese premier to Japan since PM Hatoyama took office in September 2009.  

During this trip, China and Japan plan to sign agreements on food safety, energy conservation, environmental protection and e-commerce.

Japan is the second leg of the Chinese premier’s four-nation Asian tour, which so far has taken him to the Republic of Korea and will also include Mongolia and Myanmar.