State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met in Beijing Thursday with a delegation from the Kansai region of Japan.

Tang said the Kansai people have played a constructive role in promoting the China-Japan friendship. He hoped the delegation would take the visit as an opportunity to further the friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and the Kansai region.

"The Chinese government and its people value the friendship with Japan," Tang said.

He noted that Japanese leader's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class A Criminals of the World War II, have created serious obstacles to the development the bilateral political ties.

He hoped the people of Japan's Kansai region who value China-Japan friendship, would continue to make efforts to help the bilateral ties get out of difficulties and develop it in a healthy and stable way.

The Japanese delegation was led by Ota Fusae, governor of Osaka-Fu, Yamada Keiji, governor of Kyoto-Fu and Ido Toshizo, governor of Hyogo-Ken.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2005)