ニュース 2010/02/08 Ozawa says Campbell extended “official invitation” for DPJ delegation to visit the US n February 8, DPJ Secretary General Ozawa held his regular press conference at party headquarters. With regard to media reports that he had received an invitation for a DPJ delegation to visit the United States during the Golden Week holiday period (at the beginning of May) in the course of a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell held on February 2, Ozawa said, “I received an official request. It is perfectly acceptable to put together a delegation to visit the United States, but as a precondition, I would like to stress that it is up to the government to engage in policy discussions, whether they be on domestic or foreign policy issues, and that even if we do go, we will not discuss such issues.” Ozawa also revealed he had said that, “I would like us to consider the purpose of any such visit as being for the sake of [strengthening] party-to-party friendship and goodwill [between the DPJ and the US Democratic Party], to create an even closer relationship between Japan and the United States. However, even though I have stated that the visit would be for party-to-party exchanges, of course, President Obama is a Democratic President, and so I would like to ensure a sufficient amount of time could be set aside for a meeting with the President.” Ozawa also commented on the issue of making press conferences held by the various government ministries open to a whole variety of media organizations, as is the case with the press conferences held by DPJ party officials, rather than restricting access to members of the various press clubs as has commonly been the situation up until now. Asked whether he intended to make a representation to the government on this issue in the interests of unifying the stance of government and ruling party in this area, Ozawa said, “Prime Minister Hatoyama himself has also made the same kind of comments, and so I have not said to him directly that I think this is what ought to be done.” He added, “However, I would like to convey your thoughts and requests when I have the appropriate opportunity.”