On May 21, DPJ Next Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshio Hachiro met with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully at party headquarters, and exchanged opinions about agriculture and other issues. The meeting was also attended by the Director-General of the International Department Tetsundo Iwakuni, member of the House of Representatives Issei Koga, and members of the House of Councillors Chiaki Takahashi, Masamitsu Naito, Shin-kun Haku and Marutei Tsurunen.
At the start of the meeting, Hachiro welcomed the delegation to headquarters, and expressed the hope that bilateral relations between Japan and New Zealand, and in particular economic exchanges, could be deepened. McCully commented that he wanted to encourage private sector exchanges, tourism and trade. He also referred to the international rugby test match between New Zealand and Australia, which is scheduled to be held in Tokyo on October 31, adding that he also wanted Japan and New Zealand to deepen sporting exchanges.
Naito commented on the Minister’s remark that New Zealand’s agricultural base had actually been strengthened by deregulation, saying that Japan had much to learn from this process.
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