On March 21, a visiting delegation led by Katsuya Okada, a standing advisor of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, met with Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to discuss Japan-China relations, defense spending, North Korea's denuclearization, and other issues.

At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Liu reflected on the three discussions he has had with Okada and other members of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan since the signing of a memorandum of understanding on party-to-party exchanges in August last year, and stated that he hopes to further deepen the mutual relationship based on the foundation that has been built so far, promote mutual understanding, and lead to further improvement and development of Japan-China relations.In response, Okada said that he was deeply impressed by Liu's statement at their meeting last year that "I want to leave a stable Japan-China relationship for future generations," and expressed his expectations for this discussion.After the meeting, Okada said that he considered the statement by some Japanese politicians, about which Minister Liu expressed concern, that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japan emergency," to be "short-sighted." On the other hand, he revealed that he had conveyed, "Many Japanese businessmen and tourists stay in Taiwan, and many Japanese companies have invested there. If an emergency were to occur in Taiwan, Japan would have no choice but to be very concerned. I would like them to understand this situation."Regarding the issue of defense spending, he said that with both Japan and China facing the challenge of aging populations, he called on MInister Liu, "Rather than increasing military spending indefinitely and increasing tensions between us, wouldn't it be better to use our finances for the benefit of our people?"

Regarding the denuclearization of North Korea, he said he proposed, "Rather than leaving it to President Trump, shouldn't the three countries of Japan, China and South Korea negotiate with North Korea on the denuclearization of North Korea?"

In the morning of the same day, he also met with Xu Xiao, standing secretary of the Communist Youth League Central Secretariat, and discussed the matter mainly with members of the China delegation, including Ito Shunsuke, director of the Youth Bureau, Ishikawa Kaori, Minister of State for Regional Revitalization, Consumer Affairs, and Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Umetani Mamoru, deputy secretary-general of the Abduction Issue Headquarters and International Department General Manager Suzuki Kenichi, and said they mutually confirmed the importance of exchanges between younger generations.