ニュース 2010/08/30 Banno meets with German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs On August 30, the Director-General of the DPJ International Department Yutaka Banno met with the German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Werner Hoyer. The meeting was also attended by DPJ members of the House of Councillors Kenzo Fujisue, and Harunobu Yonenaga and Kuniko Koda, both Vice Director-General of the International Department. Banno welcomed Hoyer and stressed that he wished to develop and strengthen exchanges between Japanese and German parliamentarians. In response, Hoyer said, “October 16th this year sees the start of events celebrating the 150th anniversary of friendly exchanges between Japan and Germany (in the autumn of 1860, a Prussian expedition to East Asia led by Count Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg arrived in Edo bay, and in the following year, 1861, concluded a treaty of amity and commerce with the Edo Shogunate). I would like to see increased efforts by parliamentarians in both countries to develop Japan-German relations moving into next year. Both sides had a lively discussion on issues such as FTAs, and agreed on the necessity for cooperation to further strengthen Japan-German relations in areas and issues of global importance.