During his visit to Brazil, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday restated his desire to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Beijing in November.

This is the latest call from Japan for a face-to-face meeting amid recent tense diplomatic relations.

"I hope to have a Japan-China summit meeting during the APEC forum in November," Abe said at a press conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when asked about tense relations between the two countries, the Associated Press reported.

"Japan and China should talk because we have issues to solve," he said. "My door is always open for dialogue, and I would like China to have the same attitude."

Abe has been unable to hold one-on-one talks with President Xi Jinping since 2012 when he took office for the second time.

Abe said on July 14 at the Lower House's budget committee session at the National Diet that he wanted to hold a summit with China during the APEC forum to improve ties.

He also called for talks with President Xi during his visits to Australia and New Zealand from July 7 to 12.

"Our attitude, which is clear enough, can be described by a popular catchword in China 'don't even bother to approach me if you are not absolutely sincere.' If Japan refuses to correct its attitude and take concrete actions, there is no way for China and Japan to improve their relations," Qin Gang, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded on July 11.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said on July 9 that it is natural for Chinese and Japanese leaders to meet during the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. He also said that he thought meetings should not be canceled because certain conditions are not met.