Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Osaka on June 27 (Photo: AFP/ VNA)

This signals a thaw in relations between China and Japan. According to the Kyodo news agency, at a meeting with Mr. Abe prior to the G20 summit in Osaka, Mr. Xi called it a “good idea” for him to visit Japan next spring and promised “a new era” for China-Japan relations.

Earlier, Mr. Abe asked Mr. Xi to visit Japan as a state guest during next year's cherry blossom season to raise the bilateral relationship to a higher level.