The eight-member Japanese delegation visited Washington DC, Oklahoma, and Southern California from April 21 to May 5, 2001. In Washington DC, they met with members of the House of Representatives, political party staff, and NPO staff. In addition to discussing the foreign relations policy of the new Bush administration and the prospects for the US-Japan relationship, they were briefed on elections in the US and political funding.
In Orange County, California, they met with local politicians and government officials to discuss the relationship between the federal, state, county, and municipal governments.
Participants
MASAYUKI CHIKAZAWA, Assistant to Motoshisa Furukawa, Member of the House of Representatives, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
NAOKI FURUKAWA, Member, Yokohama City Council, Kanagawa Prefecture, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
KEIKO HIRATA, Member, Utazu Town Council, Kagawa Prefecture, LDP
AKI NAGAO, Research Staff, Japan Initiative
KEIICHI ODA, Member, Okayama Prefectural Assembly, LDP
AKIRA OHMATSU, Leader, Political News Division, Komei Shimbun (New Komei Party organ Paper
HIDEAKI TAKEUCHI, Deputy Manager, Diet Affairs Committee, House of Councillors Members’ Caucus, DPJ
YASUJI YAMAOKA, Professional Staff Member, Party Organization Bureau, LDP
