On April 12, 2011, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Wen again extended his condolences to Japan over the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, and said China supported Japan's quake relief efforts and was ready to reinforce cooperation with Japan on quake relief and post-quake reconstruction.

Wen said, as China and Japan were neighboring countries, the Chinese government attached great importance to China-Japan relations. He said China would like to work with Japan to advance the healthy and stable development of their relations in keeping with the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan.

Wen also expressed the Chinese government and people's concern over Japan's move to discharge nuclear waste water into the Pacific, demanding the Japanese government pay high attention to the effect it has on the ocean environment and especially on the surrounding countries. He called for Japan to keep strictly to the related international law, effectively take preventive measures, and promptly and accurately inform China of the related information.

Kan said China immediately sent an international rescue team and offered aid to the hit area after the disaster, and President Hu Jintao paid a visit to the Japanese embassy in Beijing to express his condolences, for which, he, on behalf of the Japanese government and people, expressed sincere gratitude. He also extended his condolences to the Chinese victims in the disaster.

While expressing regret for the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Kan said Japan would promptly and accurately provide information to the international community, including China, ensure transparency, thoroughly investigate the reason for the accident and contribute to global cooperation on nuclear security.

As for bilateral ties, Kan said the two countries are friendly neighbors separated only by a narrow strip of water and Japan highly valued the relationship between the two countries. He said Japan would like to make joint efforts with China to reinforce the communication and cooperation between the two countries on disaster prevention and relief, nuclear safety and clean energy, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges to push for the advancement of the strategic and mutually beneficial Japan-China relations.