Japanese opposition leader visits China

Prime Minister Fukuda announced he was going to visit China; leader to his party's opposition, Ichiro Ozawa, got there first. Ozawa took 44 members of his Democratic Party of Japan along with 400 members of the public with him in his trip and he is expected to meet with Hu Jintao to discuss trade and diplomatic relations. Ozawa told reporters he goes to Beijing annually. Fukuda plans to make his own visit later this year or early in 2008 and Hu Jintao plans to reciprocate by visiting Japan sometime early next year. While PM Fukuda said nothing about Ozawa's visit, Fukuda's party's chief spokesman criticised the timing of Ozawa's visit as legislation on the resumption of the Japanese Naval involvement in the US-led efforts in Afghanistan is up for debate. Still, Ozawa did beat Fukuda to the table.