His Holiness the Dalai Lama has arrived today in Japan for his 11th visit to this predominately Buddhist nation. His visit is seen as offering significant spiritual support for a nation which was devastated earlier in the year by a powerful earthquake and tsunami which created enormous damages, death and casualties in this sea-locked island nation. Brionie Pereira has reported for The Tibet Post International "His Holiness the Dalai Lama Makes His 11th Visit to Japan."
The Dalai Lama is on a 12 day visit to Japan. He has a busy itinerary planned involving public talks, teachings and a dialogue with the Japanese Nobel Laureate, Dr. Masatoshi Koshiba and Dr. Kazuo Murakami, a professor of Tsukuba University. The hosts for this visit of the Dalai Lama to Japan are the members of Japan's Parliamentarian Group for Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has frequently visited Japan, which has a large Buddhist population, in order to address and guide his followers there.
However, the reception by high level Japanese officials for the Dalai Lama has generally been cold even though his visas for Japan have been cleared. This is understandable due to fears in Tokyo of retaliatory moves by nuclear armed China if the government of Japan offers the Dalai Lama VIP treatment in their country. Already political relations between Japan and China are tumultuous even though their economic partnership is one of the strongest in the world.
The Dalai Lama last visited Japan in April after the nation was hit with a devastating earthquake and tsunami. He has commented "I wanted to visit this nation that faced such a calamity and to be a spiritual comfort, even if this may be a small act." The visit of the Dalai Lama to Japan at that time was denounced by China and His Holiness' presence in Japan was snubbed by the Japanese officials. Upon his most recent arrival at Narita international airport the Dalai Lama condemned China's "ruthless policy" as the cause of the recent self-immolations in Tibet.
The Dalai Lama also plans to address the Japanese youth on 'The Power of Compassion' and to deliver a teaching on Langri Thangpa's Eight Verses of Training the Mind. He than plans to embark upon a series of pilgrimages to the Kofukuji Temple, Todaji Temple and Ise Shrine. The Ise Shrine, which is on the banks of the Isuzu river, is considered to be the principal Shinto shrine to Buddhist devotees world-wide and Todaji is the oldest Buddhist gompa in Japan. And so to most of the people of Japan the Dalai Lama is a VIP visitor who deserves the highest degrees of respect.
