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Oct. 2, 2009: Nippon Steel announces plans to provide China’s Maanshan Iron Company with advanced technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Japan-China Relations 113 January 2010 Oct. 4, 2009: Foreign Minister Okada Katsuyo expresses hope that Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Pyongyang will result in progress on North Korean issues. Oct. 7, 2009: Democratic Party Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa Ichiro meets China’s Ambassador Cui Tiankai at DPJ headquarters in Tokyo. Oct. 8, 2009: Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio announces his commitment to follow the 1995 Murayama Statement on history. Oct. 9, 2009: Foreign Minister Okada travels to Beijing and meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Oct. 10, 2009: Prime Minister Hatoyama meets Premier Wen and ROK President Lee Myung-bak in Beijing for a trilateral summit. Oct. 16, 2009: Hatoyama government postpones decision to fund feasibility study on construction of non-sectarian war memorial. Oct. 17, 2009: Former Prime Minister Aso Taro visits Yasukuni Shrine. Oct. 18, 2009: Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Maehara Seiji tells visiting Chinese counterpart Shao Qiwei of Japan’s intention to ease visa requirements for Chinese tourists. Oct. 19, 2009: Liberal Democratic Party President Tanigaki Sadakazu visits Yasukuni Shrine. Oct. 19, 2009: Chinese Foreign Ministry protests to Japanese Embassy over Japan’s issuing of a visa to Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer. Oct. 21, 2009: Prime Minister Hatoyama meets former Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing at official residence in Tokyo. Oct. 25, 2009: Economic ministers of Japan, China, and South Korea launch joint FTA study. Oct. 25, 2009: Direct Haneda-Beijing air route opens. Oct. 26, 2009: Nishimatsu Construction Company reaches agreement on compensation claims with wartime forced-laborers and family representatives. Oct. 31, 2009: Japanese Consulate in Qingdao formally opens. Oct. 31, 2009: Japan, China, South Korea agree to cooperate on disaster relief and preparedness. Nov. 5, 2009: Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) aircraft finds Taiwanese operating within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Senkaku Island chain. Nov. 5, 2009: PLA Navy officer candidates call at MSDF Etajima port near Hiroshima. Japan-China Relations 114 January 2010 Nov. 6, 2009: Japan announces plans to construct a port facility on Okinotorishima. Nov. 8, 2009: DPJ President Ozawa hosts Wang Jiarui, director of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) International Department, for a Sumida River dinner cruise. Nov, 11, 2009: DPJ-CCP Council for Consultation on Exchanges meets in Tokyo. Nov. 11, 2009: Delegation of Japan’s wartime orphans abandoned in China visits China and meets Premier Wen. Nov. 16, 2009: Home electronics retailer Laox announces plans to open 110 stores in China. Nov. 19, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang meets Upper House President Eda Satsuki and makes known China’s interest in having Vice President Xi Jinping visit Japan in mid-December. Nov. 19, 2009: Foreign Ministers Okada and Yang meet in Tokyo. Nov. 20, 2009: Toshiba announces plans to transfer semiconductor assembly operations to a new joint venture company in China. Nov. 20, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang meets Prime Minister Hatoyama. Nov. 23, 2009: Japan, China, South Korea health ministers meet in Tokyo and agree to develop framework for cooperation on food safety issues. Separately, Japan’s Health Minister Nagatsuma Akira calls on Chinese counterpart to resolve frozen gyoza issue. Nov. 27, 2009: China’s Defense Minister Liang Guangli visits Japan; meets Prime Minister Hatoyama and Minister of Defense Kitazawa Toshimi. Nov. 28, 2009: Japan’s Environment Ministry sends 10 crested ibises to China. Nov. 30, 2009: Defense Minister Liang inspects Japan’s Aegis cruiser Chokai in Sasebo. Nov. 30, 2009: Saito Masaki, the head of the Japan Interchange Association (Japan’s de facto representative office in Taiwan) resigns for “personal reasons” after a series of contretemps over remarks he made regarding the status of Taiwan. Dec. 1, 2009: Japan finalizes decision to construct port facilities on Okinotorishima and Minamitorishima. Dec. 8, 2009: Yomiuri Shimbun releases results of public opinion poll on Japan-China relations. Dec. 9, 2009: Japanese government initially denies Chinese request for meeting between Vice President Xi Jinping and Emperor Akihito. Japan-China Relations 115 January 2010 Japan-China Relations 116 January 2010 Dec. 10, 2009: DPJ President Ozawa visit China and meets President Hu Jintao. Dec. 11, 2009: DPJ President Ozawa meets Defense Minister Liang. Dec. 11, 2009: Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano Hirofumi announces that Hatoyama government has asked the emperor to meet with Vice President Xi. Dec. 11, 2009: Imperial Household Agency announces emperor will meet China’s Vice President Xi Jinping on Dec. 15. Dec. 14, 2009: Prime Minister Hatoyama meets Vice President Xi. Dec. 14, 2009: DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yamaoka Kenji addresses Shanghai Institute for International Studies. Dec. 15, 2009: Emperor Akihito meets Vice President Xi. Dec. 18, 2009: Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru, announces plans to begin production in China and to seek joint venture partner. Dec. 19, 2009: Kyodo News reports China has decided to appoint Cheng Yonghua, currently Chinese ambassador to the ROK, to succeed Cui Tiankai as ambassador to Japan. Dec. 24, 2009: Conclusion of a joint Japan-China three-year history study is announced.