(CNN) -- China's and Japan's top leaders met in Belgium, indicating a thaw in relations since a diplomatic battle broke out last month over Japan's arrest of a Chinese fishing captain off the disputed Diaoyu Islands. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan met Monday in Brussels, on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting. They met in a corridor outside the conference venue after a working dinner and spoke for about 25 minutes, Kan told reporters, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency. During the meeting, Wen stressed the mutual benefits of Beijing and Tokyo maintaining good relations, according to China's state-run media. Kan said likewise, Kyodo said.
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NEW: Wen and Kan also reiterated their nations' claims to disputed islands
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Wen Jiabao and Naoto Kan met on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting
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They spoke for about 25 minutes, Kan says
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The leaders agreed on the mutual benefits of China and Japan maintaining good relations
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@placeholder also reiterated China's claims to the Diaoyu Islands, China's state-run media said.
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Wen also reiterated @placeholder's claims to the Diaoyu Islands, China's state-run media said.
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Kan told @placeholder that the islands are an integral part of Japanese territory, Kyodo said.
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During the dispute, China arrested four Japanese nationals, saying they were being investigated for illegally entering a @placeholder military zone.
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China released three of the four @placeholder last week, saying they had made admissions and expressed regret.