ISTANBUL

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is set to visit China in late December for talks with his counterpart Wang Yi, aiming to revive high-level bilateral exchanges, media reports said Saturday.

The visit may also feature a ministerial dialogue on human and cultural exchanges that was held last in Tokyo in 2019, Kyodo News reported.

The discussions follow an agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping to facilitate reciprocal foreign minister visits.

Key topics on the agenda include China's import ban on Japanese seafood, military activities, the recent stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen and espionage-related detentions of Japanese nationals.

Both sides are expected to enhance cultural and educational cooperation.

China also plans to resume a visa-free entry program for Japanese visitors on Nov. 30, boosting tourism and trade amid economic challenges.