Japan to issue visas again for Uyghur activist Kadeer, Dalai Lama+

TOKYO, April 15 Kyodo -
Japan plans to issue entry visas for Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer and Tibet's
spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, for their respective visits planned for May
and June, despite China's demand that it refrain from doing so, government
sources said Thursday.
Kadeer and the Dalai Lama, criticized by China for allegedly engaging in what
it calls separatist activities, will be visiting Japan for the second time
since the Democratic Party of Japan seized power from the long-ruling Liberal
Democratic Party in last August's general election.
Their trips will signal the continuation of Japan's policy of accepting the two
as visitors.
The government, however, is likely to emphasize that neither of them will be
received as government guests and that visas will be issued ''on the basis of
domestic laws.''
Kadeer, who heads the World Uygur Congress, plans to attend symposiums to be
held in Tokyo and Osaka after arriving in Japan on May 20. The Dalai Lama is
scheduled to come to Japan on June 18 and participate in a service at a
Buddhist temple in Nagano. He will also deliver speeches in Ishikawa and
Kanagawa prefectures.
A source close to Japan-China ties said China is expected to become more
sensitive than before about how Japan will handle the upcoming visits, ahead of
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's possible trip to Japan in late May.
Tokyo and Beijing are now making final arrangements for Wen's visit.
Cabinet ministers are reluctant to meet with Kadeer or the Dalai Lama, while
both of them are likely to soften their criticism of China out of consideration
for the Japanese government, the source said.
==Kyodo