A Japanese ministry official stated that Japan will urge for a prompt resolution to a disagreement with China regarding disputed gas fields during upcoming talks in Beijing. Despite recent improvements in relations between the two countries, the issue of developing natural gas in the East China Sea remains unresolved. The official expressed hope that China will make a political decision to reach a final agreement on the matter, as both sides are aware of its importance. Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura is expected to address this issue in discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday. The upcoming talks will cover various topics such as macro-economic policies, Beijing's currency reforms, climate change, and trade and investment. Despite the lack of progress in the 11th round of talks regarding natural gas development in the East China Sea, Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's visit to China may still proceed as planned. China has denied any potential impact on the visit due to the gas dispute. Although resolving the gas feud is not a prerequisite for Fukuda's visit, both sides had agreed to report on a compromise to their leaders in the autumn. "This is the moment for us to increase our efforts," he stated. "It is not just about the economic consequences, but also about Japanese public opinion." Both parties are keen to secure fresh oil and gas resources but have conflicting views on the location of the maritime boundary that separates their exclusive economic zones. China's state-controlled CNOOC Ltd announced in April that it had started gas production from the Tianwaitian field and was prepared to commence production from the larger Chunxiao field in the region, causing concerns in resource-poor Japan that such production could divert gas from what Tokyo considers its part of the zone.