Japan's new prime minister is visiting Beijing Sunday to strengthen strained relations with China's leaders.
Shinzo Abe's visit is the first by a Japanese prime minister in five years.
It is also Mr. Abe's first overseas trip since becoming Japan's new leader two weeks ago. While in Beijing, he will hold talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.
The Chinese leaders had refused to meet former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, largely because of his visits to a controversial war shrine in Tokyo.
Regional security will be high on the agenda following North Korea's recent threat to test a nuclear weapon.
Mr. Abe will travel to Seoul Monday for talks with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. The meeting also aims to mend weakened diplomatic ties, but will largely focus on North Korea.
Mr. Abe has supported his predecessor's visits to the Yasukuni war shrine the past, but has not indicated whether he will pay homage to it as prime minister.
The shrine honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters
