Secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Takebe Tsutomu will visit South Korea in May, South Korean officials said in Seoul Friday.

Secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Takebe Tsutomu, and Fuyushiba Tetsuzo, secretary-general of the New Komeito (Party), a coalition partner of the ruling party, are to visit South Korea on May 6-7 to meet with a number of government and party officials, including Rep. Moon Hee-sang, chairman of the Uri Party, an official of the South Korean ruling party said.

The Japanese legislators are also expected to pay a courtesy call on South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, according to the official.

The visit comes amid strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo over Japan's approval of school textbooks that critics here and in Japan said, gloss over Japan's militarist past.

The two countries have also been experiencing a renewal of tension over the Dokdo islets following an ordinance by Japan's Shimane Prefecture last month to promote Japanese claims to the South Korean islets in the East Sea.

Source: Xinhua