The foreign ministers of Japan and China have agreed to realize the Chinese minister's visit to Tokyo next year to hold high-level talks on economic relations.

Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi held talks with his counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing for three hours on Wednesday. It was their first face-to-face meeting in their posts.

The ministers confirmed that they will comprehensively promote the two countries' mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests, and boost communications toward building constructive and stable bilateral ties.

They agreed to realize Wang's visit to Japan at the earliest possible and appropriate timing next year, to hold a high-level economic dialogue to be joined by relevant ministers from both sides.

They also shared the recognition that the two countries will steadily implement their agreements reached in September, including one regarding treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Iwaya sought an early resumption of China's imports of Japanese seafood.

China suspended imports right after the nuclear plant began discharging water into the ocean in August 2023. China agreed in September to gradually work toward the resumption of seafood imports from Japan.

The water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains slight traces of tritium.
Before releasing the treated water into the ocean, the plant's operator dilutes it to reduce tritium levels to about one-seventh of the World Health Organization's guidance level for drinking water.

Iwaya conveyed Tokyo's deep concerns about the situation in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku Islands, and also China's increasing military activities. Japan controls the islands. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of the country's territory. China and Taiwan claim them.

Iwaya demanded China immediately remove a new buoy which was found set up floating inside Japan's exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture.

The ministers noted the importance of deepening communications despite pending issues between the two countries.

They confirmed that the two countries will hold talks between their national security officials as early as possible next year.

Iwaya also urged Wang to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in China. In September, a Japanese boy was fatally stabbed on his way to a Japanese school in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

He also sought the early release of Japanese nationals detained in China.

The Japanese minister expressed deep concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs and Pyongyang's military cooperation with Russia. He conveyed expectations that China will perform an important role to address these issues.