Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Japan Tuesday for a five-day visit to enhance a "mutually beneficial relationship" between the two countries, reported dpa.
The first Japan visit by a Chinese president in a decade comes as the two nations celebrate the 30th anniversary of normalized diplomacy and attempt to improve public sentiment toward each other.
The bilateral relationship hit new low in 2005 after Japan's then prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japanese war veterans, including war criminals.
But mutual visits by leaders of both nations, which former prime minister Shinzo Abe initiated in 2006, have helped improve relations.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Hu were expected on Wednesday to discuss the principles of their countries' bilateral relations and sign a joint statement.
The two nations were also scheduled to sign a joint statement on environmental issues.
Japan plans to encourage China to "more positively respond to and actively participate" in the post-Kyoto protocol to fight climate change while Japan provides technology and experience in energy efficiency.
Also on the agenda are prolonged disputes over gas and oil rights in adjoining territorial waters as well as a food-poisoning case caused by Chinese-made frozen dumplings. But analysts said these two issues were unlikely to be resolved during Hu's visit.
Hu, who is in Japan as an invited state guest through Saturday, was also to meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
