Japan confirms Dalai Lama`s plan to stop over in Japan on way to US

Japanese officials confirmed Tuesday that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will be stopping over in Japan on his way to the United States later this month but said no meetings with government officials have been scheduled.

While declining to comment on the date of the visit, Foreign Ministry Deputy Press Secretary Tomohiko Taniguchi said the Dalai Lama will be making ``a short stay, which I understand is going to be taking place inside the airport terminal.``

In a separate news conference, Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama said similarly that there will be no meetings arranged and that the Dalai Lama`s visit to Japan is just for transit to the United States.

By noting that Japan will handle the Dalai Lama`s visa application ``as before,`` Taniguchi indicated that Japan will allow his stopover request, despite strong opposition from China.