Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi announced Friday his plan to visit Beijing this weekend for talks with his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, where he will push for the early release of a Japanese businessman recently detained in China for alleged espionage.

Hayashi said at a news conference that he will also make a four-day trip to Brussels from Monday to attend a foreign ministerial meeting of NATO countries and their partners, at which they are likely to reaffirm their unified stance over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Referring to the planned two-day visit to the Chinese capital from Saturday, Hayashi said he will "explain our nation's position" on pending bilateral issues between Tokyo and Beijing.