On October 26, DPJ Acting Secretary General Shinji Tarutoko departed for China to meet with senior officials from the Chinese Communist Party and discuss deepening ties between the two parties in the lead up to the 40th anniversary of the normalization of the bilateral relationship between Japan and China, to be celebrated in 2012.

Meanwhile Director-General of the International Department Koichiro Watanabe is set to travel to the Republic of Korea tomorrow. He will attend the 16th Standing Committee Meeting of the ICAPP (International Conference of Asia Political Parties) as well as meeting with representatives of Korean political parties for discussions with a view to strengthening party-to-party exchanges.