Japan has asked China to hold talks soon on the launch of a maritime crisis management mechanism after their leaders agreed to work together to avert unforeseen events in and around the Senkaku Islands, Defense Minister Akinori Eto said Tuesday.

"Our hope is that we will be able to make necessary arrangements at an early date with the Chinese side so the mechanism will become operational," Eto said at a news conference.

Adm. Tomohisa Takei, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's chief of staff, said later in the day that establishing the communication mechanism is very important in avoiding accidental clashes, which could escalate.