Japan and China renewed their pledges to further promote ties upon the 45th anniversary of a bilateral friendship treaty's coming into force on Monday, as Tokyo continues to seek high-level dialogue with Beijing amid strains in the relationship.
"It is important to work together to build a constructive and stable Japan-China relationship from a big-picture perspective," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a message read out at a ceremony in Tokyo.
While admitting the Asian neighbors are facing "various issues of concern," they both share "a great responsibility for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international community," Kishida added.