At the beginning of their meeting in Tokyo, Yang delivered personally-written letter to Fukuda. In the letter, Hu expressed his willingness to deepen and boost the Sino-Japan mutually beneficial relations based on common strategic interests and push forward the bilateral ties into the track of long-term healthy and stable development through the visit.

Describing Hu's upcoming tour as of significant importance, Fukuda said the Japanese government and he himself are earnestly expecting the visit. He believed that the visit would improve bilateral ties and cooperation and called on both sides to make the biggest effort to ensure the success of it.

Yang said Fukuda's visit to China last year vigorously promoted the improvement and development of the China-Japan relationship, which has now entered an important period and presented favorable developing momentum.

The Chinese side attaches great importance to President Hu's visit to Japan and hopes the visit would reach achievement in promoting strategic trust, expanding mutually-beneficial cooperation, improving civil sentiment and strengthening international and regional cooperation, Yang said.

Fukuda extended his good wishes to the Beijing Olympics and pledged Japan's support for and assistance to the games.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2008)