Politics was off the menu as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi wrapped up his visit to Japan over the weekend with dinner Saturday in Osaka and lunch Sunday in the ancient capital of Nara.
Yang's Nara visit began early Sunday at Horyuji Temple, the world's oldest surviving wooden structure, which was built more than 1,300 years ago and is now on the World Heritage List. He also visited Toshodaiji Temple, founded in 759 by Ganjin, a Chinese Buddhist priest who was invited to Japan to train Japanese monks.
"The minister arrived in Japan and had to deal with a variety of diplomatic issues, but he was able to come here to Nara to explore the cultural and historical side of China's relationship with Japan," said Nara Gov. Shogo Arai, after greeting Yang just before a lunch with Nara business and government officials and members of a local China-Japan friendship association.