Major Japanese newspapers on Saturday published editorials to applaud the talks between Chinese and Japanese leaders Friday in Beijing and appreciate their wishes to push forward the Japan-China ties.

"The leap forward of Japan-China relationship" has become the keyword in Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's China diplomacy, the Asashi Shimbun said.

The daily said the bilateral ties have actually achieved fast development on economic aspect, however during former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's terms, the bilateral political relationship deteriorated to the worst level since the normalization of Japan-China ties due to Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

The newspaper said that it is delightful that the bilateral ties improved step by step through former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ice-breaking journey and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's ice-melting tour.

The Mainichi Shimbun said although Fukuda has not got essential fruit on resolving the dispute over gas fields in East China Sea, the agreement of dealing calmly with difficult issue itself was significant.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Fukuda went to China with a wish to turn 2008 into the first year of the leap forward of bilateral ties.

The newspaper is happy to see that leaders of the two countries agreed to expand cooperation on environment and science and technology to make a tangible step to build up the mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.

Editor: Donald