Japan and China will hold talks aimed at solving their tow over gas and oil exploration rights in the East China Sea on Thursday in Tokyo, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

A Chinese gas platform in the East China Sea. [AFP]

A large gap remains between the two countries over the issue, and while it is hoped the upcoming talks would help narrow the gap, China does "not expect any major breakthrough," Liu Jianchao told a regular press briefing.

A Chinese company is developing gas fields in an area of the sea close to waters that Japan claims, and Tokyo is concerned this action could siphon off resources from what it claims to be the Japanese side.

Both countries say they should jointly develop the area to resolve the dispute, but they differ on where the joint work should take place. China appears to have rejected Japan's offer to conduct joint development in an area that includes the Chinese gas fields.