Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will arrive Sunday on a three-day visit to Tokyo for talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who will try to persuade the Chinese leader to form a united front against North Korea, diplomats and analysts say.

Wen's visit comes amid rising tension in Northeast Asia following Seoul's official announcement that its corvette the Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo, with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang, meanwhile, has denied the accusation and declared earlier this week it was cutting ties with Seoul.

While Japan and the U.S. have squarely backed South Korea, China, an ally of the North, has called for a more even-handed approach.