The Foreign Ministry on Friday tapped "China school" diplomat Yutaka Yokoi as Japan's new ambassador to China, underscoring its resolve to move bilateral relations forward at a time when tensions are building over territorial issues.

Yokoi, 61, will replace Ambassador Masato Kitera within 30 days.

China school is a term used to refer to envoys who underwent language training in China. The last China school diplomat to become ambassador was Yuji Miyamoto, who served from 2006 to 2010.