On February 7, the new line-up for the DPJ International Department and the Japan China Exchange and Discussion Mechanism was approved by the DPJ Standing Officers Council. As previously mentioned in a prior edition of the Weekly Flash, Hideo Hiraoka has been appointed as Chair of the Administration Committee, with overall responsibility for the Administration, International and Research Departments. The new Director-General of the International Department is member of the House of Representatives Issei Tajima. The Vice Directors-General of the International Department are as follows: members of the House of Representatives Shino Aihara, Eriko Fukuda, Gaku Kato, and Mieko Tanaka, and members of the House of Councillors Shin-kun Haku, Motohiro Ono, Marutei Tsurunen and Misako Yasui.

The new line-up for the Japan-China Exchange and Discussion Mechanism was also approved by the Standing Officers Council, details as follows:

Chair: Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi
Deputy Chair: Acting Secretary General Shinji Tarutoko
Vice Chairs: Policy Research Committee Chair Seiji Maehara; Diet Affairs Committee Chair Koriki Jojima; Secretary General; DPJ Caucus in the House of Councillors Yasuo Ichikawa ;Acting Policy Research Committee Chair Yoshito Sengoku
Chief Secretary: Administration Committee Chair Hideo Hiraoka
Deputy Chief Secretary: Deputy Secretary General Katsumasa Suzuki
Secretary General: Chief Vice Secretary General Koji Matsui
Vice Secretaries General: Senior Vice Secretary General Takeshi Hidaka; Senior Vice Secretary General Hirotaka Akutsu; Senior Vice Secretary General Seiji Osaka