Japan’s LDP Secretary General Expected to Become Chairman of Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Group; Moriyama Set to Take Over from Nikai

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:22 JST, January 20, 2025

Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama is expected to become the next chairman of the Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Association, multiple sources have revealed.

According to the sources, the cross-party Diet group will make the decision during a general meeting set to be held as early as this month.

Former LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai has served as chairman since April 2023. However, the question of who would succeed him as chairman has been in the spotlight since Nikai retired without running in the House of Representatives election in October.

Moriyama is a member of the association and has visited China along with Nikai and others. Since last summer, he has held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Moriyama visited China between Jan. 13 and 15 with a delegation of lawmakers belonging to the LDP and Komeito, leading the first meeting of the Japan-China Ruling Party Exchange Council with senior Chinese party officials for the first time since October 2018. During his stay, Moriyama also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and has been working to build ties with the Chinese side.