The visit of Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada was hailed by Chinese international relations analysts as a big step forward in bilateral relations and were expected to shore up domestic support for Japan's beleaguered Prime Minister Taro Aso, who already ranks among the most unpopular leaders in Japan's postwar history.

Hamada wrapped up his two-day visit to China on Saturday, in the latest sign of warming relations between the two countries.

The first visit by Japan's top defense official in six years, Hamada and his Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie agreed that this year Chinese naval ships will visit Japan and Liang will make an official trip as well, as part of a greater military exchange program.

Also outlined in a press communique issued on Friday after a meeting in the Chinese capital between the defense ministers, the two sides will explore ways to have exchanges between the Chinese army and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces.

"The bilateral military exchanges are becoming more and more frequent. From navy ship visits to reciprocal visits by defense chiefs, the two countries are now discussing the possibility of exchanges between land forces. It is really an important progress and the increased dialogue will help dispel mistrust," said Chen Yan, an analyst on China-Japan relations and senior writer of Beijing-based Economy magazine.

The upcoming Chinese ship visit would be the latest in a series of exchanges that have helped thaw years of longstanding mistrust. A Chinese warship made a port of call in Japan in November 2007, followed by a reciprocal visit by a Japanese destroyer in June of last year. Both visits were the first of their kind since World War II.

Hamada's visit is the first by Japan's defense chief since Shigeru Ishiba visited China in 2003 as director-general of what was then the Defense Agency, which was upgraded to a ministry in 2007. His visit followed an official trip by former Chinese defense minister Cao Gangchuan in August 2007, the first visit by a Chinese defense minister to Japan in nine years.

Recalling difficulties in bilateral military communications in the past, Chen stressed the importance of building a direct link for the two sides to talk in case of disputes and conflicts.

"Previously there was no communication at all. Hopefully, the resumption of communications will help our confidence-building effort."

He said that the thaw in military relations came as a result of sound economic and political ties.

"Our economic relations have consolidated, while political ties are relatively stable now," Chen said, noting that China is Japan's biggest trade partner, while Japan is China's third largest.

Yang Bojiang at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) also said that it is important for the two sides to have high-level dialogues.