Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, will arrive in Japan on Oct. 30 for a 12-day visit through Nov. 10 at the invitation of a Japanese religious group in Hiroshima Prefecture, political sources said Thursday.
During the stay, the Dalai Lama will deliver speeches and engage in religious activities in the cities of Hiroshima and Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, the sources said.
China, which has ruled Tibet since 1951, has opposed visits to Japan by the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibet’s exiled government based in northern India, who it says heads a secessionist movement.
But the Japanese government has allowed the Dalai Lama to enter the country on condition that he does not engage in any political activities.
During his previous visit to Japan in April 2005, the Dalai Lama met with lawmakers of the inter-party Diet members’ league on Tibetan issues, which drew fire from China.
In February this year, the Dalai Lama made a round of calls to the Middle East and also sent an emissary to Beijing to propose that he visit China.
