A recent meeting between the Dalai Lama and Japanese lawmakers — including senior government officials — threatened Tuesday to stymie improving relations with China.
In Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it "firmly opposes" any sort of contact between the Tibetan spiritual leader and the governments of other countries.
Akihisa Nagashima, special adviser to the prime minister on foreign and defense matters, and several other lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Japan and Liberal Democratic Party met with the Dalai Lama on Monday. Participants included Senior Vice Defense Minister Shu Watanabe and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.