China and Japan are expected to release in Tokyo today a joint report that acknowledges Japan's invasion of China during the Second World War - a document that analysts said was a positive start to removing a long-standing irritant in bilateral ties.

The report, featuring 13 articles by Chinese historians and an equal number by their Japanese counterparts, is likely to cover historical and contemporary relations between the two nations, a source close to the compilers of the report told China Daily yesterday.

Historians on both sides are agreed on the fact that Japan invaded China, the source said, but due to wide differences, the report may not cover post-war history. "Research will continue on that part," the source said.