BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) — China deeply mourned the passing of Mr. Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of Japan’s main lay Buddhist group Soka Gakkai, and prolonged honest condolences to his household, a overseas ministry spokesperson stated on Monday.
Ikeda, honorary president of the Soka Gakkai, died on Nov. 15 at age 95 in Tokyo. Ikeda proposed the normalization of China-Japan relations in 1968 in Japan and actively concerned himself in selling friendship between the 2 nations.
Spokesperson Mao Ning advised a day by day press briefing that China expressed profound grief and deep condolences over the passing of Mr. Ikeda and prolonged honest sympathies to his household.
“Over the decades, Mr. Ikeda, as the leader of the Soka Gakkai, remained committed to China-Japan friendship and made an important contribution to rebuilding and growing the relations between our two countries,” Mao stated, noting that he was an expensive previous buddy of the Chinese individuals and had their belief and respect.
“When Mr. Ikeda first visited China in 1974, he said he wanted to build a ‘golden bridge’ of peace between China and Japan. We hope the golden bridge he advocated will stand forever,” Mao stated.