Tokyo

Amid reports of Chinese foreign minister seeking to meet Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga,  a Japanese academician has claimed that the government rejected an offer from China to reduce tensions in the disputed East China Sea.

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Japan has been concerned over Chinese naval activities in the East China Sea. Professor Liu Qingbin from Yokohama National University in Japan told a newspaper that China had almost completely stopped activities in the East China Sea ahead of President Xi's visit in April but it could not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Suga had earlier held a telephonic conversation with President Xi as the Japanese prime minister stressed on the importance of stable Japan-China ties.

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Shinzo Abe was the Japanese prime minister at the time as reports claimed that China reduced its activities in Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands. However,  Liu asserted that the peace moves were met with hostility as Japan's right-wing groups reportedly hired fishing boats and entered the East China Sea region leading to clashes.

Shinzo Abe stepped down earlier this month over health reasons making way for Liberal Democratic Party's Suga. Abe had visited Beijing in earlier in October 2018.

The new prime minister of Japan said that he had agreed to pursue high-level contacts with President Xi during his talks with Xi.

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"Stable relations are important not just for our countries but for the region and the international community. I want to fulfil that responsibility," Suga told pubic broadcaster NHK after speaking Xi.