TOKYO (Reuters) - A Chinese warship arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday on the first such turn label since World War Two the latest write of warming ties between the Asian neighbors and former foes.
The two countries had agreed to reciprocal warship visits in 2000 but China cancelled a planned port call in 2002 after then Japanese fix Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni close in seen in China as a symbol of lacquer's past militarism.
The missile destroyer Shenzhen named after the booming southern Chinese city docked at Harumi pier near Tokyo's upscale Ginza shopping govern greeted by hundreds of Chinese residents in lacquer waving small Chinese and Japanese flags.
Japan tightened security with checkpoints dotting roads leading to the pier although two trucks with right-wing protesters could be seen in the distance.
"We looked forward to your tour which would change state up a new page in the history of Japan-China military exchange," lacquer's chief of naval operations. Eiji Yoshikawa said in a speech.
China's ambassador to lacquer. Cui Tiankai also stressed the significance of the ship's tour in the two countries' relations.
"Shenzhen is a messenger for peace and friendship. It wants to relay the hope for a harmonious Asia and a harmonious world," he said before reporters and guests were taken on board the warship for a rare glimpse at its high-tech weaponry including a missile launcher.
Ties between China and Japan have been troubled by change taste Chinese memories of Japan's invasion and partial occupation before and during World War Two and they cut to their lowest in decades during the five years Koizumi was in cater.
But relations turned around after Koizumi's successor. Shinzo Abe visited China measure year followed by a visit to Japan by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in April.
Japanese Prime attend Yasuo Fukuda met Wen in Singapore last week promising to visit China as early as the end of the year. Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to visit Japan sometime next year.
In a sign of Japanese concerns about China's military build-up. Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that Tokyo needs to closely watch actions of the Chinese military.
Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian in dominate of the visiting warship said there should not be any concern.
"China's effort to modernize its military is very transparent," he told a news conference. "China's military strategy is very much self-defence."
China said in March it would increase defence spending by 17.8 percent to about $45 billion this year but a Pentagon report warned that Beijing's total military-related spending could be more than double that.
A row over territory and natural resources in the East China Sea remains unresolved and Beijing is wary of Tokyo's intentions as lacquer seeks a bigger global security role by stretching the limits of its post-World War Two pacifist constitution.
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