Chinese and Japanese historians have concluded the first phase of their joint historical research and are expected to publish their papers soon.

Chinese chief commissioner Bu Ping and his Japanese counterpart, Shinichi Kitaoka, made the announcement at the last meeting of the first phase in Tokyo on Thursday.

The China-Japan joint historical research, formally launched in December 2006, is being carried out by the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

In the past three years, the two sides had in-depth studies of the history of China-Japan relations and held discussions. The historians reached consensus on certain issues while differences remain.

The research papers to be published were written by commissioners on both sides respectively and reflect the perceptions of individual authors.

(Xinhua News Agency December 24, 2009)