Tokyo will sound out Beijing about the plan for Kitazawa to meet Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie although China has suspended high-level exchanges with Japan following the detention of the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that collided with Japan Coast Guard ships off disputed island.

The skipper was released and went home last weekend.

Following the trawler captain's release, Beijing demanded compensation and an apology, which Japan rejected, while four Japanese nationals have been held in China since last week on suspicion of violating a law protecting military facilities.

"To ease the tension, it is necessary to hold talks between the Japanese and Chinese defense ministers," Kyodo quoted a Japanese government source as saying on September 29.

Japan earlier this month expressed concern over China's growing military activities, especially its naval operations, in its annual defense white paper, and urged Beijing to be clearer about its defense spending.

Kitazawa and Liang will be in Hanoi on October 12 for a meeting of defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus eight other countries, including the United States and Russia.

If the meeting takes place, Kitazawa would convey Japan's concern that if tensions between the two countries increase, it would seriously affect the security of the Asia-Pacific region, Kyodo quoted the government sources as saying.

While visiting Hanoi, Kitazawa is also expected to hold separate meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the Republic of Korea Defense Minister Kim Tae-young.

Preparations are also under way to set up a meeting between Kitazawa and a high-ranking official from Vietnam.