Japan's top government spokesman said Tuesday that Japan is expecting to improve relations with China.

"Promoting a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship and improving ties between Japan and China will be positive not only for the two countries but also for other Asian countries or countries around the world, especially for their economies," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku at a regular press conference in Tokyo.

Sengoku made the remarks after Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan held talks in Belgium with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit.

During the talks with Kan Monday, Wen reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times.

He pointed out that it serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples to protect and advance the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit.

The two sides agreed to step up people-to-people exchanges and intergovernmental communications and hold a high-level meeting at an appropriate date.

China-Japan relations have been soured recently after the Japanese Coast Guard illegally seized a Chinese fishing boat and detained the crew on Sept. 8 in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Japanese authorities insisted on performing a so-called domestic judicial procedure against the crew despite strong protests from the Chinese government and public. The crew and the boat were released later.