China welcomes Japanese leaders and senior officials to attend a reception to be held at the Chinese embassy in Japan on Thursday evening to mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Spokesman Lu Kang made the remarks at a regular media conference while he was asked to comment on a news report in the Yomiuri Shinbun which quoted anonymous sources as saying that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono will attend the reception. The report said, if it happens, it will be the first time in 15 years for a Japanese prime minister attended a reception at the Chinese embassy.

Noting that the 45th anniversary is an important point for the development of bilateral ties, Lu said that China hopes Japan will "walk in the same direction" with China.

The two countries should seize the opportunity of the anniversary, uphold the spirit of learning from history and looking to the future, and abide by the two countries' four political documents and four types of principle consensuses, Lu told reporters.

The two countries should maintain the political premise of bilateral ties, steadily boost exchanges and cooperation, and push bilateral ties to develop and improve in the right direction.