On January 29, 2013, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with visiting former Japanese Prime Minister and Honorary Adviser of Japan-China Friendship Association (JCFA) Tomiichi Murayama and JCFA President Koichi Kato at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing.

Yang spoke highly of Murayama and JCFA's long-term contributions to the reconstruction and development of China-Japan relations. He stressed that it is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples if the two countries follow a path of peace, friendship and cooperation. At a critical juncture of bilateral relations, the two sides should, based on the four political documents between China and Japan, take a responsible attitude towards history and properly handle the issue of Diaoyu Islands to improve and develop China-Japan relations.

The Japanese side said that a solid foundation has been laid for the relations between Japan and China since the normalization of diplomatic relations 40 years ago. Such a solid foundation could be destroyed by any force. The two sides should carefully safeguard the overall situation and make joint efforts to develop and improve the relations between the two countries. JCFA, as a non-governmental friendship organization, will inherit the tradition and leverage its advantages to actively promote friendship between the people and create favorable conditions for the development and improvement of bilateral relations.