A delegation from the Japanese ruling parties arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening to prepare for the upcoming visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in April.

The delegation are headed by Hidenao Nakagawa, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Kazuo Kitagawa, secretary general of the ruling coalition partner New Komeito. Both took their positions last September.

During the visit, President Hu Jintao is expected to meet with the Japanese guests, according to sources from the the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

A member of the delegation will deliver a speech at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, and the delegates will attend a seminar at the People's University in Beijing.

Wen is going to visit Japan in mid-April, the first trip to Japan by a Chinese premier since 2000.

Before the delegation left for China, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with the delegates, saying he hoped this visit help create favorable conditions for Wen's upcoming visit to Japan.

Abe also asked them to deliver a letter to President Hu.

Source: Xinhua