China on Wednesday called on Japan to cooperate in overcoming the political obstacles to their relations.

"We hope Japan will make joint efforts with China to overcome the political obstacles in our relations as soon as possible and push China-Japan relations back on the track of healthy, stable development," China's Vice President Zeng Qinghong said in a meeting with Makoto Koga, former secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Sino-Japanese relations have been soured by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Japan's war dead, including 14 convicted class A war criminals in World War II, are honored. The shrine also hosts a museum defending Japan's past militarism.

But in recent months there has been increasing dialogue between party and government officials of the two countries.

Describing China and Japan as "countries with significant influence in Asia and the world", Zeng said developing "long-term, stable good-neighborly friendly ties" serves the basic interests of the two countries and peoples, and also helps promote peace, stability and the development of Asia and the world.

He stressed that the Chinese party and government remain committed to dealing with relations with Japan from a strategic level and long-term perspective.

Calling Makoto "an old friend of the Chinese people and myself", Zeng thanked him for his contribution to the China-Japan friendship.

He also expressed his condolences over the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

As one of the leaders of seven Japan-China friendship organizations Hashimoto paid a goodwill visit to China and met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in March this year.

Makoto said the friendship between Japan and China, which was established by the old generations of leaders, should be cherished and the younger generation of politicians should shoulder the historical responsibility to deepen and develop such ties.

Relations between Japan and China are at a crucial period, Makoto said, adding that "we should bear history in mind...to make new contributions to the continuous development of Japan-China friendly ties."

Makoto is visiting China at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China.