Japan has confirmed it will take part in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the event organizer said on Thursday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has personally written to his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, saying that "the Japanese government has officially decided to take part in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo," a spokesman with the Expo's coordination bureau said.

"The confirmation demonstrates the support by the Japanese government for the Shanghai World Expo and also its positive attitude in advancing relations between China and Japan," the spokesman said.

Japan has hosted the World Expo five times, the last was held in Aichi, last year.

To date, 89 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Shanghai Expo, its spokesman said.

Abe, who took office on September 26, paid an visit to China on October 8 and 9. His visit was the first to China by a Japanese prime minister in five years. Abe was also the first Japanese postwar prime minister to choose China for his first official overseas trip.

Abe's "ice-breaking" visit was applauded by Chinese netizens as more than three quarters of them believe that a good relationship with Japan is "important", according to a recent survey by China Youth Daily.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)