China on Tuesday confirmed that the secretary general of Japan's ruling party will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation next month in Beijing.
Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai will attend a high-level conference during the forum, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily briefing on Tuesday.
At least 28 heads of state and government are expected to attend the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, making it the highest-profile international meeting on the One Belt and One Road initiative since China first proposed it in 2013.
Scheduled from May 14 to 15, the forum will also host more than 1,200 senior officials, scholars, entrepreneurs, representatives of financial institutions and media organizations from 110 countries and regions, and more than 60 international organizations.
"Given the international situation, especially on DPRK, mutual understanding between Japan and China is vital," Nikai was quoted by Jiji News Agency as saying.
During his visit, Nikai is scheduled to hand over a personal letter from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Chinese President Xi Jinping, The Japan News, a sister publication of Japan's largest daily newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun, reported.
Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko is also considering attending after receiving an invitation, said Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga, while Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, will also attend, Reuters reported.
Abe has not visited China except for international meetings since 2012, halting reciprocal visits by Japanese and Chinese leaders.
With Nikai's visit, Abe hopes to seek cooperation between the two nations amid rising tensions over DPRK, eventually leading to improved bilateral ties, The Japan News reported on Tuesday.
