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China 'wants better Japan ties' China PM seeks war reconciliation
(about 1 hour later)
China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has called for better ties with Tokyo in a historic address to Japan's parliament. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has used a landmark address to the Japanese parliament, the Diet, to urge Japan to face up to its World War II actions.
In what was the first ever Diet address by a Chinese premier, he said Japan's invasions in the 1930s and 40s had caused China's people tremendous pain.
And he called for Japanese apologies to be matched by concrete actions.
However, he said just a few militarist leaders were to blame and that most Japanese people were also war victims.
Japan and China have been at odds in recent years over Japan's World War II aggression, and China has often accused Japan of not fully atoning for its actions.
Mr Wen's visit to Japan - the first in seven years by a Chinese premier - is being seen as important step to get over the past and improve ties.
The deep scars left in the hearts of the Chinese people cannot be described Wen Jiabao His Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, visited Beijing in October.
Mr Wen began his speech by stressing that he wanted to promote friendship and co-operation between China and Japan, but he focused on the two countries' difficulties over their shared history for much of his speech.
"Japan's invasions caused tremendous damage to the Chinese," Mr Wen said. "The deep scars left in the hearts of the Chinese people cannot be described."
Shrine visits
The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says some commentators in Japan have interpreted that as a warning to Japan's prime minister, Mr Abe, not to visit the Yasukuni shrine honouring its war dead, which the Chinese believe glorifies militarism.
The last Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, visited the shrine many times as leader, leading the Chinese to refuse to hold bilateral meetings with him.
Japan and China both have claims over East China Sea depositsMr Wen was positive though about the prospects for the two countries' future relationship, our correspondent says.
"The Chinese people want to exist in friendship with the Japanese people," he said, despite the "calamity" of Japan's World War II invasion of China."The Chinese people want to exist in friendship with the Japanese people," he said, despite the "calamity" of Japan's World War II invasion of China.
Mr Wen urged Japan not to forget its wartime aggression, but acknowledged that Japanese people had also suffered. Mr Wen said that "to reflect on history is not to dwell on hard feelings but to remember and learn from the past to open a better future".
Mr Wen is the first Chinese premier to ever address Japan's parliament, and his visit is aimed at improving ties. Royal meeting
His Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, visited Beijing in October. He said he hoped they could find a peaceful solution to their differences over who owns oil and gas reserves in the East China Sea and said that economic development is an opportunity not a threat.
On Wednesday, the two men signed an agreement to co-operate over energy and the environment. Mr Wen (left) met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on WednesdayThe visit has started well, our correspondent says, with agreements signed on sharing technology to help save energy and to address environmental issues like climate change and China has agreed to resume imports of Japanese rice.
Now he has moved to the more sensitive topic of historical grievances. "Japan's invasions caused tremendous damage to the Chinese," Mr Wen told Toyko's parliament. But several difficult issues remain, including the dispute over who owns oil and gas reserves buried under the East China Sea.
"The deep scars left in the hearts of the Chinese people cannot be described." Japan accuses China of being secretive about its rapidly growing defence budget, while Beijing is wary of plans to revise Japan's pacifist constitution to make it easier to deploy troops.
He added that "to reflect on history is not to dwell on hard feelings but to remember and learn from the past to open a better future". Mr Wen is expected to meet the emperor and empress of Japan at the Imperial Palace later on Thursday before lunching with business leaders.
Difficult issues In the evening he will attend a reception to mark 35 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Beijing.
Mr Wen is also expected to meet the emperor and empress of Japan at the Imperial Palace before lunching with business leaders.
Japan and China both have claims over East China Sea deposits
On Thursday evening, he will attend a reception to mark 35 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic ties between Tokyo and Beijing.
This visit has started well, with agreements signed on sharing technology to help save energy and to address environmental issues like climate change, the BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says.
China has agreed to resume imports of Japanese rice and both countries have pledged to work harder to address differences over their shared past.
But several difficult issues remain, our correspondent adds, including the dispute over who owns oil and gas reserves buried under the East China Sea.
Japan also accuses China of being secretive about its rapidly growing defence budget, while Beijing is wary of plans to revise Japan's pacifist constitution to make it easier to deploy troops.