Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with the leader of the junior party in Japan's ruling coalition, who invited him to visit Tokyo next year amid growing momentum to rebuild bilateral ties.
"On the premise that he will visit Japan next year, I said, 'I am looking forward to meeting you in Japan, and I believe Japanese people will also give a big welcome.' This is the sort of thing I said," Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi told reporters late Friday at a Beijing hotel.
"President Xi Jinping nodded with a smile," said Yamaguchi, who also handed Xi a personal letter from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.