Japan and China will hold sub-Cabinet-level talks Saturday and Sunday in Tokyo to discuss bilateral and regional topics, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

The main item is expected to be arranging a summit between Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, all but guaranteed to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and President Hu Jintao, possibly on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in mid-November in Hanoi, according to ministry sources.

China has refused to hold a summit with Koizumi in protest of his annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine.

Japan will be represented in the talks, dubbed "comprehensive policy dialogue," by Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi and China by Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, the ministry said.

This will be the sixth round of such talks since they were started in May 2005. China hosted the previous meeting in May.

They are also expected to take up such issues as disputes over gas exploration in the East China Sea, resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programs and the latest economic sanctions against Pyongyang, the sources said.