Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left Beijing Monday morning, concluding his two-day official visit to China, his first foreign trip after taking office.

 

During his stay in Beijing, Abe met or held talks with President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao. The two sides also issued a joint press communiqué.

 

Abe, who took office on September 26, was also the first Japanese leader to visit China in five years as top-level visits had been halted because of his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 class-A war criminals in World War II are honored along with Japan's war dead.

 

Premier Wen Jiabao invited Abe to visit China on the premise that "China and Japan reached a consensus on overcoming the political obstacle affecting bilateral relationship and promoting friendly and cooperative relationship," according to the Foreign Ministry.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2006)