Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said here Tuesday before his upcoming visit to China that China's economic development offers a good opportunity to Japan as well as to the rest of the world.

During an interview with Xinhua and other Chinese media at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Fukuda said that China's economic development is important to Japan's economic growth.

"Bilateral ties have become increasingly complementary, and one cannot do without the other," he said.

China is Japan's largest trading partner while Japan is the largest investor in China, Fukuda said, adding that further promotion of economic cooperation and exchange is important to the healthy growth of both countries' economies as well as the stability and development of Asia and the world.

Commenting on the peaceful development of China, Fukuda said that China's development offers a good opportunity to Japan and the rest of the world. The healthy growth of Japan-China relations is of great significance to the two nations and the two peoples as well as Asia and the world. With such consensus, Japan is willing to develop future-oriented ties with China based on mutual understanding and trust, he said.

Japan is ready to promote dialogue and exchange with China in all areas and at all levels with emphasis on exchange between the young people who shoulder the countries' future, Fukuda said.

Fukuda is scheduled to begin a four-day official visit to China on Thursday. He will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and top legislator Wu Bangguo.

Fukuda will deliver a speech at the prestigious Peking University, visit a primary school in Beijing, visit Tianjin, a city neighboring Beijing, and Qufu, in Shandong Province, the hometown of Confucius.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2007)