From June 29th through July 6th, an LDP delegation led by International Bureau Director-General Saito Toshitsugu and Youth Division Director Tanahashi Yasufumi traveled to the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg in the Russian Federation for meetings with representatives of the ruling Unity and Fatherland Party. This inter-party exchange was initiated through a request made to the LDP by Mr. Pavel Vladislavlev, a member of the Unity and Fatherland Party's leadership (and a member of the State Duma in the Russian Federal Assembly). The primary purpose of the trip was to provide the LDP with the opportunity to conduct a "politics through political parties seminar" for the benefit of those in the Unity and Fatherland Party. Many participants in the seminar praised the LDP by explaining that "information concerning the LDP's platform and policies, organization, and policymaking processes will be of immense help to those who are working to establish political parties in Russia." In addition, the visit also provided an excellent chance for members of the LDP delegation to meet for frank discussions with individuals with close relationships to President Putin, such as Mr. Mikhail Zadornov (a member of the State Duma) and Mr. Mikhail Margelov (a member of the Council of Federation of the Russian Federal Assembly), and to increase mutual understanding on territorial issues, economic cooperation, and related topics.
  Russia is currently in the midst of reforms being carried out under the strong leadership of President Putin. Moreover, with elections for the Federal Assembly scheduled to be held next year and a Presidential election slated for the year after that, this is a period of increased activity for political parties in Russia that heralds the beginning of party politics in that country.
  In light of these trends, the start of exchanges between the LDP and the Unity and Fatherland Party has the potential to be of tremendous value for both Japan and Russia. Both countries currently face a number of difficult problems in their bilateral relationship, including territorial issues and economic cooperation, and many of these have been further complicated by recent domestic problems in Japan involving the formulation of our country's diplomacy with Russia. It is hoped that the relationship between the LDP and the Unity and Fatherland Party, the largest ruling party in Russia and a supporter of the Putin administration, will provide a useful new channel for diplomacy between our two countries.
  The St. Petersburg leg of the trip provided an opportunity for the delegation to visit a city filled with history and culture that is busily preparing itself to celebrate the 300th anniversary of its founding and to host a summit of G8 leaders next year. In addition, meetings here with St. Petersburg's vice-governor and individuals in a branch office of the Unity and Fatherland Party located in this city contributed to the building of a foundation for greater mutual understanding of our two countries' cultures and politics.