TOKYO, April 11 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted relations-warming talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Tokyo Wednesday as part of Wen's three-day visit.
Wen arrived from Seoul, where he met with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun on Tuesday, and told reporters he hoped the Japan visit would be a "true ice-melting trip," the Kyodo news agency reported.
Abe chose China for his first overseas trip after taking office in September, which was seen as his desire to improve relations that were strained by his predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Abe said he and Wen would discuss issues such as environmental problems, energy, North Korea and regional peace and Chinese support for Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.
Wen's visit to Japan is the first by a Chinese premier since 2000.
Separately, Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma told the Financial Times Wednesday China and Japan are poised to conduct their first naval exchanges since the World War II war before the end of the year.
