Japan's vice-FM to visit Beijing to repair ties

TOKYO - The Japanese government has decided to dispatch its Foreign Ministry's top official to China on a two-day tour to repair frayed bilateral ties over islands in the East China Sea, the ministry said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai will start his visit to Beijing Monday afternoon, and is expected to hold talks Tuesday with Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun, Japanese government officials said.

Earlier in the day, Kawai lodged a protest over the phone with Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua about the latest entry of Chinese surveillance vessels into waters near the Diaoyu Islands.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have soured in the aftermath of Japan's "nationalization plan" earlier this month of the Diaoyu Islands which are claimed by both countries.