Photo:VCG

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has once again vowed to open up a new era in China-Japan relationship and push bilateral ties to a new level. 

Abe made the remarks in a policy speech outlining his goals ahead in an extraordinary Diet session convened on Friday. 

He said exchanges between Japan and China should not be limited to leaders from the two countries, but also should be expanded to all areas such as economy and youth. 

Abe said that the economy remains his top priority amid a consumption tax increase, which came into effect on Tuesday and other domestic downside pressures facing the government's balance sheet including ballooning social welfare costs. 

Abe told the Diet that in terms of outside influences on Japan's economy, such as ongoing and more recent trade issues, as well as uncertainty surrounding Britain's planned departure from the European Union, that these were situations that would be tracked and dealt with as necessary. 

"Should downside risks become evident, we will take flexible and sufficient steps without hesitation to make sure that the economy is on a firm growth path," the Japanese leader said.

Rioters set fire at MTR station at Causeway Bay on Friday night. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

Abe also said in his policy speech that he still hopes to meet with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un "without preconditions." 

Conversely, as for ties with South Korea and amid an ongoing dispute over issues of forced wartime labor during Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula during the war that has spilled over into a tit-for-tat trade dispute, Abe said in his address that South Korea should "keep promises between states."