Prime Minister Naoto Kan headed off Sunday on a three-day trip to Brussels to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting, hoping to mend damaged ties with China and explain Tokyo's stance on the spat to other world leaders.

Kan will join the ASEM summit's working dinner session Monday evening to discuss economic issues, including ways to ensure sustainable growth and rebalance the global economy and banking rules.

Before the opening of the two-day summit, Kan is expected to hold talks Monday with several leaders, including South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, Japanese officials said.