Japan's foreign minister said Friday he hoped talks with Chinese officials this weekend will defuse tensions between the two countries, as Tokyo warned Japanese citizens in China to steer clear of expected protests. Violence flared in China last week as thousands of anti-Japanese protesters poured into the streets to denounce a Japanese textbook that critics say covers up Tokyo's wartime atrocities. Some protesters pelted the Japanese Embassy in Beijing with rocks. Japan has demanded an apology from the Chinese government for allowing the protests, though Beijing has said Tokyo is to blame for the passions because it has not properly atoned for historical wrongs. Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura is scheduled to travel to Beijing on Sunday for talks, and said on Friday he hoped for good results. "I think that it is all the more meaningful for both sides to hold talks at a time when various problems are happening," Machimura told reporters. "I expect the upcoming meeting will be a step toward creating a better environment." --more 1108 Local Time 0808 GMT
