Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba asked Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing on Wednesday to agree to create a "crisis management mechanism" to avoid potential disputes in the event of maritime incidents in the East China Sea.
During talks in Beijing, Genba and Wen agreed to ensure the success of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's planned visit to China in December, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.
Genba also called for resuming bilateral negotiations toward signing a treaty on a joint gas development project in the East China Sea, the ministry said.