It's time to decide when Japan will terminate its official development assistance to China, the vice foreign minister said Tuesday.

"The time is ripe for us to consult with China on the timing," said Shotaro Yachi, 60, who assumed the post the same day, having previously served as assistant chief Cabinet secretary.

China has experienced rapid economic growth and no longer needs the aid, he said.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in November that it is time for China to "graduate" from ODA. Beijing responded that the Chinese can develop their nation by themselves.

"There is no need to provide ODA to a nation that does not feel the need to receive it," Yachi said.

While China's inland provinces might still need aid, the Chinese government should handle this problem on its own, he said.

On ties with Russia, Yachi said Tokyo cannot accept the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration signed by both countries. The declaration stipulates that Moscow will return two of four islands off Hokkaido after the two nations sign a peace treaty.

"Now that both nations are on friendly terms following the end of the Cold War, we cannot (resolve the territorial dispute) based on the 1956 joint declaration," he said.

Speaking separately at a news conference, Yachi said Japan will seek to comprehensively resolve issues related to North Korea's nuclear arms and missile program and abduction of Japanese nationals before normalizing relations. But these issues do not need to be resolved simultaneously, he said.

The abduction issue should be resolved as quickly as possible, even if this means North Korea's nuclear agenda remains unresolved, he said.