Chinese warship makes first postwar visit to Japan available (1st Lead)

Nov 28, 2007, 6:30 GMT

Tokyo - A Chinese warship arrived in Tokyo Wednesday on an historical goodwill visit, the first military visit by the Communist China's People's Liberation Army to Japan.

The destroyer Shenzhen anchored at Harumi port and will remain for four days as a symbol of improving military co-operation between the two countries. A Japanese warship will visit China at a later date.

The Chinese warship was a symbol of friendship, Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, vice chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet, said.

'The Shenzhen brought not only the crew of 345 members but also friendly feelings of 130 million people in China,' the Chinese admiral said.

Admiral Eiji Yoshikawa, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force chief of staff, said the naval visit will mark the beginning of a new defence co-operation.

Diplomatic relations between Japan and China which have been tense over the past years with former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine angering China.

   A planned visit by a Chinese military ship in May 2002 was canceled after Koizumi visited the shrine in Tokyo. China had not sent a naval ship to Japan since 1934.

    Relations are showing signs of improving, with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and his Japanese colleague Yasuo Fukuda agreeing at the recent ASEAN summit that both countries are at a turning point.

Japan hopes to make the exchange of naval visits a routine ceremony between Japanese Self-Defence Forces and the Chinese military.