China and Japan agreed Wednesday to set up talks on often contentious security issues as they seek to improve a relationship riven in recent years by a range of issues, from territorial disputes to the discharge of water from Japan's tsunami-wrecked nuclear power plant.

Talks between China and Japan's foreign ministers in Beijing have paved way for Japan to host China's foreign affairs chief next year, and mutual agreement to hold a security dialogue as soon as possible,

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has met with top Chinese leaders during his visit to Beijing, the first since the heads of the two countries met at a summit in Peru last month

Takeshi Iwaya made his first trip to Beijing since becoming Japan's foreign minister in October. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited Beijing on Wednesday, holding several hours of talks with his counterpart Wang Yi and with China's premier,