The leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, Banri Kaieda, has arrived in Beijing to hold talks with senior Chinese officials.
It is Kaieda's first visit to China since his election as the head of the DPJ in late 2012.
"Sino-Japanese relations must be improved. It is very important to make the first step. A healthy relationship between the two countries is beneficial to both sides. And it goes beyond that. It is beneficial to other Asian countries and beyond, including the United States. So I hope to hold candid talks with the Chinese side."
Kaieda is due to meet with the head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, along with former State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, who now leads the China-Japan Friendship Association.
Kaieda is expected to express the DPJ's opposition to the Abe administration's move to lift the ban on collective self-defense.
But at the same time, he's also expected to call on the leaders of the two countries to hold a bilateral meeting.
China has been urging Japan to take concrete measures to remove political obstacles that impair bilateral ties to pave the way for a meeting between their leaders.
