Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama welcomed to the Prime Minister's Office His Excellency Dr. Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who is paying an official visit to Japan, and held a welcome ceremony. At the ceremony, Prime Minister Hatoyama received the salute of a guard of honor with Prime Minister Balkenende.

In the evening, the leaders held talks and exchanged views on the issue of World War II victims, the maritime security issue, the issue of veal imports in relation to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), Sakhalin-3 oil and gas project, the situation in Myanmar, the issue of North Korea, United Nations reform, and assistance to Afghanistan, among other matters.

Following the meeting, the leaders held a joint press announcement. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Hatoyama said, "It is my pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Balkenende as an official guest in this landmark year of the 400th anniversary of the trade relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. I am very pleased to see that the two countries, which have been trading partners for 400 years, have become the largest investors in one another. I will strive for further development of our trade relationship, as well as for the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU)."

In response, Prime Minister Balkenende said, "I would like to express my gratitude for the invitation, especially for receiving a warm-hearted welcome on this special day in which Prime Minister Hatoyama made his policy speech at the Diet. It is my pleasure to be able to visit this beautiful country in this landmark year commemorating the 400th anniversary of our trade relationship. Our relationship spans more than four centuries, and is historically important. At the same time, there are many things to be said about our bilateral relationship today."

Later, Prime Minister Hatoyama hosted a banquet inviting Prime Minister Balkenende and others from the two countries. In his address, Prime Minister Hatoyama said, "Japan and the Netherlands have enjoyed good relations over the past 400 years. We have people gathered here today who are eager to develop Japan-Netherlands relations, from the past to the present to the future. In particular, both Japan and the Netherlands have a strong interest in innovation. I expect that by bringing about innovations the two countries can exert great leadership not only bilaterally but globally also."