A senior deputy to the Tibet autonomous region's People's Congress, has asked Japan to respect China's core interests and grave concern about the Tibet issue.

During his visit to Japan last week, Duoji Ciren met Satsuki Eda, former president of Japan's House of Councilors, Yoshimasa Hayashi, secretary-general of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union, and Syunsuke Takei, Japan's vice-minister of foreign affairs.

Duoji?reminded Japan of the Dalai Lama's clique's separatist anti-China character and told his hosts that the Tibet issue is a matter concerning China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It involves China's core interests and national feelings, he added.

He said Japan should deal with the issue concerning Tibet appropriately, with the big picture of China-Japan relations in mind.

Leading a delegation from Tibet's people's congress to Japan, Duoji said Tibet has shaken off the chains of feudal serfdom since peaceful liberation more than half century ago. Thanks to the full support of the central government and aid from people all over China, Tibet is working hard to build itself into an open, civilized and wealthy place and it is no longer closed and backward, he said.

Satsuki Eda said a friendly relationship between Japan and China is of great importance.

Japan's parliament and the National People's Congress of China have established a mechanism of regular exchanges. The Japan-China Friendship Center, one of seven Japanese groups committed to promoting friendship between the two countries, regularly invites young Chinese from all walks of life to visit Japan to enhance mutual understanding, Eda added.

In the words of Yoshimasa Hayashi and Syunsuke Takei, the visit from the Tibetan delegation, offered Japan a rare opportunity to get a real picture of Tibet.