Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to their meeting on Nov. 15 in Lima (Pool)

BEIJING--China will expand its visa-free arrangements to include Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro and other countries, effective from Nov. 30, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

It will also extend the visa-free stay period to 30 days from 15 days for citizens of all 38 countries within its visa-free program, state television CCTV reported.

China has previously granted visa-free arrangements for South Korea and some European countries to boost tourism and trade amid a sluggish economy.

Japan hopes China's move to resume short-term visa-free entry for Japanese travelers will promote people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbors, Japan's Chef Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular news conference  in Tokyo on Friday.