Chinese President Hu Jintao called the ice-breaking visit of his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, yesterday a ?turning point? in relations between the Northeast Asian giants that have chilled over war-time history. Mending ties is seen as key to addressing a threat by reclusive North Korea to conduct a nuclear test, an issue sure to be high on the agenda during Abe?s two-day visit to China, host to six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue.

?Your ongoing visit is serving as a turning point in China-Japan relations and I hope it will also serve as a new starting point for the improvement and development of bilateral ties,? China?s Xinhua news agency quoted Hu as telling Abe. Japanese television showed the two men smiling as they shook hands.In a meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao, both sides expressed the hope of overcoming animosities, soured by regular visits to a controversial war shrine by Abe?s predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi. The visits angered China and hampered progress on territorial, trade and energy disputes.

Abe will fly to Seoul today for talks with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. Beijing and Seoul refused summits with Koizumi because of his pilgrimages to Tokyo?s Yasukuni Shrine, seen by critics as glorifying Japan?s past militarism during its 1931-45 occupation of parts of China. But Abe?s Beijing visit is seen as a chance for a fresh start for the two countries, whose economic interdependence is growing despite the political chill.

China replaced the United States as Japan?s top trade partner in 2004, and Japan?s trade with China, including Hong Kong, reached $ 212 billion last year. Abe, Hu and Roh are expected to urge North Korea not to go ahead with a nuclear test, but behind the scenes they could differ over how to persuade Pyongyang to hold back. Japan and the United States prefer a hard line that would include tightening sanctions in the event of a test, while South Korea and China lean toward negotiation and incentives. U.S. officials have said Pyongyang could detonate a device as early as this weekend.

No one expects the meetings to erase bitter memories of Japan?s wartime aggression and colonization, end mutual mistrust, or settle disputes over territory and energy rights. But Abe is hoping his summitry will win plaudits from voters at home, and ease concerns in Washington about regional tensions.

Teruaki UENO