DHARAMSHALA: Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay arrived in Tokyo Saturday for his first visit to an Asian country since assuming the charge of Kalon Tripa. Kalon Tripa was welcomed at the airport by Mr Lhakpa Tshoko, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Japan, staff members of Office of Tibet, Japanese supporters and members of the Tibetan community.

Kalon Tripa began his 5-day visit on Sunday morning by giving interviews to two major Japanese newspapers. Kalon Tripa responded to a wide range of queries about his administration’s expectation from the new Chinese leadership, the policies of the present Kashag, the status of the Tibetan polity after the devolution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s political authority to the democratically-elected Tibetan leadership, and the Kashag’s position on the self-immolations incidents in Tibet.  

Later in the afternoon, Kalon Tripa addressed members of the Tibetan community based in Japan. Kalon Tripa apprised the Tibetan community about the critical situation inside Tibet and the democratic transition of the Tibetan polity. He emphasised unity amongst the Tibetan people in view of the tense situation prevailing inside Tibet.

Kalon Tripa expressed deep gratitude to the government and people of Japanese for their steadfast support to the issue of Tibet. He appealed to Japan to lend their continued support to Tibet and the Tibetan people.

Later in the evening, Kalon Tripa attended a dinner reception hosted in his honour by the Office of Tibet. Around 200 Japanese and Tibetans, including members of Tibet support groups in and around Tokyo and Tibetan associations, took part in the reception. Kalon Tripa addressed the gathering about the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet and thank the government and people of Japan for their support on the issue of Tibet.