TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday expressed the hope that people-to-people exchanges between Japan and China would increase this year as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties.

Noda, in a written message to a New Year party organized by Xinhua News Agency's Tokyo bureau, likened himself to a "son" of bilateral exchanges.

Noda paid his first visit to China in 1984 as a member of a 3,000-member delegation consisting of Japanese youths. "It can be said that I am a son of Japan-China exchanges," he said.

During his visit to Beijing at the end of 2011, Noda met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and top legislator Wu Bangguo respectively and held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao.

At the meetings, the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to increase political mutual trust, properly handle differences and relevant issues, enhance dialogue, exchanges and cooperation in various fields at all levels so as to advance the healthy and stable development of bilateral strategic reciprocal relations.

The year 2012 was defined by both sides as a friendly year of exchanges between the two peoples.