The overall China-Japan friendship should not be undermined by the very few people who tried to jeopardize it, said Japanese Ambassador Uichiro Niwa as he kicked off his second day visit in Nanjing as Japan's top diplomat in China.

Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa is surrounded by media as he speaks to local residents at a park in Nanjing Dec 21, 2010. [Agencies]

In a bid to give bilateral relations a boost, Niwa also vowed to embark on a nationwide visit to most of Chinese provinces and cities next year.

This visit to Nanjing, the first of its kind for the 71-year-old civilian-turned-ambassador, is widely interpreted as trying to mend fragile Sino-Japanese relations, as the city has just marked the 73rd anniversary of the mass slaughter by Japanese invaders. 

Through interactions with local residents who were doing morning exercises in Xuanwu Lake Park near downtown Nanjing, Niwa thanked their Chinese people for the amity toward Japanese nationals who are working and living in the city.

"Japanese and Chinese people are more alike than they are different, " Niwa said as he distributed souvenirs among the group.

Given the refreshing international landscape that has undergone dramatic changes, Niwa was confident about the genuine bond that has been established between people from both sides.