(VOVworld) – Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has reiterated his call for Beijing to organize a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tensions have escalated since Mr. Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine last December.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit to Yasukuni shrine last December. Photo: internet

Kishida made his appeal at a Tuesday press briefing after Japan’s Asian neighbors strongly criticized Abe’s shrine visit. Kishida said Mr. Abe’s cabinet inherited the previous governments’ opinions on Japan’s war activities in the 20^th century. Kishida said he hopes for a high-level political dialogue, pointing out that there have been no summits between China and Japan since Prime Minister Abe returned to office in December 2012. On Tuesday, the Republic of Korea’s President Park Geun-hye called on Japanese leaders to acknowledge historical facts.