Japan hopes Noda's visit can reignite gas talks

BEIJING Japan expects China to resume stalled gas talks during Yoshihiko Noda's upcoming visit to Beijing, according to Japanese media on Wednesday.

The Japanese Prime Minister is making arrangements for a two-day trip to China, his first since taking office in September, starting on Dec 12 to meet President Hu Jintao, Kyodo News Agency quoted Japanese government sources as saying on Wednesday.

The Noda administration plans to call for the resumption of talks on joint gas development in the East China Sea, according to the Nippon News Network.

Deepening coordination is the only way to resolve related maritime disputes and promote strategic and mutually beneficial bilateral ties, experts said.

Japan should take the initiative to meet the preconditions that make the resumption of gas talks possible, said Feng Zhaokui, a researcher with the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Japan's role in helping the United States extend its reach into the Asia-Pacific region and its involvement in South China Sea issues are undermining bilateral ties, said Feng.

China and Japan conducted the first round of negotiations on the implementation of the principles of consensus concerning the East China Sea issue on July 27, 2010.

The second round of negotiations were suspended after the detention of a captain of a Chinese trawler, which collided with Japanese patrol boats in September 2010.

Many details remained unresolved at the time and need "bilateral coordination in the future", said Feng.

Experts called for the establishment of an emergency management mechanism to deal with fishing sector disputes and maritime incidents concerning both countries.

Zhang Tianxiong, a 47-year-old Chinese fishing boat captain, was taken into custody along with 10 of his crew members by the Japanese coastguard on Nov 5 when sailing near the Goto islands off Nagasaki in southwestern Japan.

He was released after paying a fine on Nov 9, which Feng said was a good example of the peaceful resolution of a dispute.

Meanwhile, Japanese government sources said Noda was urging China to consider easing restrictions on Japanese food imports, which were imposed following the March 11 nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture, according to the Mainichi Daily News on Wednesday.

Both countries have agreed to make concerted efforts to gradually accelerate the process of implementing the principles of consensus concerning the East China Sea issue through friendly consultations and attain the common goal of turning the East China Sea into an area of "peace, cooperation and friendship".

Xinhua contributed to this story.