Foreign and Military Affairs

Japan calls for high-level talks with China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-22 13:40

TOKYO - Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshito Sengoku on Wednesday called for high-level talks with China to ease diplomatic row.

"We hope Japan and China will hold high-level talks as soon as possible to ease the diplomatic row," said Yoshito Sengoku in a regular press conference Wednesday, referring to a dispute over Diaoyu Islands between the two countries.

The remarks came after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao demanded Japan swiftly release a Chinese skipper who was illegally detained by the Japanese side over a collision between a Chinese trawler and two Japanese coast guard vessels in waters off China's Diaoyu Islands on September 7.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the time is not proper for a meeting between Wen Jiabao and Japanese leaders at the UN conferences in New York this week.

Japan released 14 fishermen last week, but extended its illegal detention of the captain, a move has sparked strong protests from the Chinese government and people.