A delegation from the National People's Congress (NPC), headed by Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, left Beijing Wednesday for Japan on a visit and to attend a regional parliamentary conference there.  

The NPC delegation was invited by Kono Yohei, speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives.

The NPC delegation will attend the ASEAN+3 Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. "Three" refers to China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

Founded in 1889, the Inter-Parliamentary Union comprises 138 countries, and China became its member in 1984.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2005)