Japan's Komeito leader to visit China to mend ties

TOKYO - Japan's New Komeito Party's leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said Thursday that he will pay a four-day visit to China from next Tuesday, aiming at relieving tensions between the two countries due to territorial dispute, local media reported.

Yamaguchi said his party has responsibilities to make efforts to restore Japan-China relations that have been damaged over territorial row, Japan's leading news agency Kyodo News said.

The New Komeito Party is part of Japan's coalition government and key ally of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. The former is considered less hawkish than the latter.

Yamaguchi said both countries should improve the bilateral relations through an overall perspective.

He also said he would consult with Abe whether he would carry a letter or message from the prime minister to China.