The ruling Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday its secretary general, Ichiro Ozawa, will visit China from Dec. 10 to 12 and preparations are under way for him to hold talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao during the visit.
Ozawa's visit will be handled using the framework for regular talks between the DPJ and the Chinese Communist Party, and all DPJ lawmakers are encouraged to accompany him, the party said.
Ozawa and Hu agreed to establish the organization in their talks when the DPJ kingpin visited China in 2006 when he was DPJ president.
Sources close to Ozawa said he initially intended to make the visit as part of a program aimed at promoting Japan-China friendship he has been involved with since the 1980s, when he was a member of the then ruling Liberal Democratic Party.