China's Hu Hails Diplomatic Thaw on Japan Visit

East Asia's biggest rivals yesterday welcomed a "warm spring" to replace the winter chill that has long cut through their relationship, as Hu Jintao arrived in Tokyo on the first visit to Japan by a Chinese president for a decade.

Though his arrival was greeted by an unlikely alliance of pro-Tibetan activists and members of the Japanese far-right, the visit is billed as a turning point in Sino-Japanese ties after years of hostility.

Hu struck a conciliatory note soon after arriving in Tokyo: "Japan and China are both important countries in Asia and the world," he said in a statement. "[This visit] will enhance friendship and cooperation in both countries."

Over the next five days, Hu will meet the Japanese prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, and dine with the emperor and empress, whom he is expected to invite to the opening ceremony of the Olympic games.

He will address students at Waseda University in Tokyo, visit historic temples and, if time allows, take on Fukuda at table tennis in echoes of the ping-pong diplomacy that led to a thaw in ties between China and the US in the early 1970s.

The leaders will also try to find a solution to Japan's panda problem. The death last month of Ling Ling, a gift from China in 1992, has presented Hu with the opportunity to further endear himself to his hosts if, as many expect, he agrees to provide a replacement panda.

Hu likened the atmosphere of his visit to a "warm spring". The countries' economic ties, he said, had "brought real benefits to the people of both countries".

Last year, China replaced the US as Japan's biggest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $236.6bn (£118bn).

Both sides have agreed to avoid discussing controversial issues such as Japan's wartime record, China's conduct on human rights, Taiwan, and Tokyo's bid for a permanent seat on the UN security council.

Hu is expected to seek support for the Olympics from Japan. While Fukuda described Tibet as an "international problem" he is thought unlikely to embarrass his guest with overt public criticism of China's human rights record.