LDP Executive Nishimura Visits China to Inspect Autonomous Driving Firms—First "Party Quartet" Trip Since Kishida Took Office

Nishimura Yasutoshi, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) Election Strategy Committee, arrived in Beijing on May 2 and is scheduled to stay until May 3. This stopover visit comes during his return trip from Kazakhstan. During his stay, he plans to inspect companies involved in autonomous driving technology and exchange views with Japanese business leaders, though no meetings with senior Chinese officials have been arranged. Nishimura previously served as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. He later received disciplinary action from the LDP over his involvement in the Abe faction’s political funds scandal. In mid-April this year, he assumed the role of Chairman of the LDP’s Parliamentary League for the Automobile Industry. This visit marks the first trip to China by any of the LDP’s “Four Key Party Executives”—namely, the Secretary-General, Chairperson of the General Council, Chairperson of the Policy Research Council, and Chairman of the Election Strategy Committee—since Takashi Kono became Prime Minister in November last year. High-level exchanges between China and Japan have stalled following controversial remarks made by Kono regarding the Taiwan Strait. According to Japanese media reports, the Japanese government and business community are attempting to ease bilateral tensions by resuming high-level contacts. Tokyo is currently coordinating the dispatch of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akazawa Koichi to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to take place this month in Jiangsu Province, China.