Chinese President Hu Jintao has said that his upcoming state visit to Japan will have the atmosphere of a "warm spring".

The president made the remark when meeting with Japanese journalists in Beijing ahead of his Japan visit, which starts on Tuesday.

It's the first visit by a Chinese president to Japan in a decade.

"I hope you can convey my sincere greetings and good wishes to the Japanese people. As the spring comes, my visit is also filled with atmosphere of a warm spring. I also hope the friendship between the two peoples can ever last like the spring warmth."

The visit is seen as a step to further improve the once-chilly Sino-Japanese relationship, which started to warm after the two countries' prime ministers visited each other in 2006 and 2007.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

President Hu said fruitful results have been achieved with efforts from both sides in the past three decades.

The president's visit this time will be aimed at intensifying mutual trust, friendship and cooperation, making programs for the future, and comprehensively advancing bilateral strategic and reciprocal relations.