Blogging the Dalai Lama

In a November 26th article, Fear of China Makes Japan Snub the Dalai Lama, Catherine Makino expresses the feeling that the Dalai Lama’s visit to Japan was undercovered and that the government gave him the “cold-shoulder” by not receiving him officially during the trip.

“Not one government official met one of the world’s best-known personalities either at the airport or at his prayer sessions and meetings where he confined speeches to spirituality….

“Thanks to the official aloofness, most Japanese were not even aware of the spiritual leader’s presence in their country…

“But there was another reason for the indifference. The Japanese government under Fukuda is strenuously trying to mend relations with China, soured during the tenure of Fukuda’s predecessors Shinzo Abe and, before him, Junichiro Koizumi…”