Talks on security issues were the centrepiece to Sino-Japanese relations, Tokyo's ambassador to the mainland stressed yesterday. He also said plans were being finalised for Defence Minister, General Chi Haotian, to visit Japan. Yoshiyasu Sato was speaking at an Asia Society lunch in Hong Kong. On stability of the Korean peninsula, Mr Sato said that while there were many areas for Sino-Japanese co-operation, the mainland was expected to play an important role in communicating with North Korea. On Taiwan, he said Japan would continue working to erase Chinese concerns over the Japan-US security treaty, but that Tokyo's current policy towards the island would not change. He said the aim of the Japan-US treaty was primarily for national defence while on human rights issues, Mr Sato stressed that Japan would not interfere in Chinese domestic politics. While Tokyo would continue to be concerned about general human rights conditions on the mainland, Mr Sato said Japanese officials would not become involved in specific cases such as campaigning for the release of political prisoner Wang Dan. He said the environmental protection agreement of last September would see Japanese grant aid working in selected mainland cities to tighten regulations and would also focus on air pollution and acid rain. Further Sino-Japanese co-operation is expected with a planned state visit by President Jiang Zemin to Japan next year. Diplomatic sources say the visit is scheduled for next autumn. With this weekend's 60th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, Mr Sato repeated past official statements, and stressed: 'The Nanjing incident must be remembered clearly. We should not repeat such history.'