"The ban is nothing but a political and psychological thing," she told reporters at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.

She noted that to continue the arms embargo to China would hurt trust relations between EU and China and that it should be relaxed as soon as possible.

According to Kyodo News, Alliot-Marie made similar remarks while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday. Abe, however, reiterated that Japan remains against the ease of the ban.

During her two-day visit to Japan from Thursday, Alliot-Marie also met with her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kyuma and talked over the same issue.