**"A Young but Old Friend": Tang Jiaxuan Meets with Mayor Hashimoto** *April 23, 2012 (Mon) 3:07 – Nikkei Shimbun*
Tang Jiaxuan, the former State Councilor who recently assumed the presidency of the China-Japan Friendship Association, arrived in Japan on Sunday the 22nd. He held a meeting in Osaka with Osaka City Mayor Toru Hashimoto and Osaka Prefecture Governor Ichiro Matsui.
Tang paid tribute to the two leaders, referring to them as "young but old friends."
Mayor Hashimoto greeted him by saying, "While Japan and China may occasionally clash, we can overcome anything if there is a connection from the bottom of our hearts."
Touching upon the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tang responded, "When facing natural disasters, let us cooperate together."
Tang, known as a Japan expert, has deepened his friendship with Hashimoto through repeated meetings in China and Osaka since Hashimoto’s time as Governor four years ago.
Tang is scheduled to visit Tokyo, Sendai, Sapporo, and other cities before returning to China on the 29th. [Kyodo News]
*(Caption for photo)*: Osaka Mayor Hashimoto hugging Tang, President of the China-Japan Friendship Association (foreground) = Sunday afternoon, the 22nd, Miyakojima Ward, Osaka City.
### Comments Translation
* Tang Jiaxuan—a former State Councilor and top official of the Chinese Communist Party—made a public courtesy visit in broad daylight to Toru Hashimoto, who is merely a local government head (the Mayor of Osaka), and hugged him in front of everyone (April 2012).
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### News Article Translation
**"A Young but Old Friend": Tang Jiaxuan Meets with Mayor Hashimoto**
*April 23, 2012 (Mon) 3:07 – Nikkei Shimbun*
Tang Jiaxuan, the former State Councilor who recently assumed the presidency of the China-Japan Friendship Association, arrived in Japan on Sunday the 22nd. He held a meeting in Osaka with Osaka City Mayor Toru Hashimoto and Osaka Prefecture Governor Ichiro Matsui.
Tang paid tribute to the two leaders, referring to them as "young but old friends."
Mayor Hashimoto greeted him by saying, "While Japan and China may occasionally clash, we can overcome anything if there is a connection from the bottom of our hearts."
Touching upon the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tang responded, "When facing natural disasters, let us cooperate together."
Tang, known as a Japan expert, has deepened his friendship with Hashimoto through repeated meetings in China and Osaka since Hashimoto’s time as Governor four years ago.
Tang is scheduled to visit Tokyo, Sendai, Sapporo, and other cities before returning to China on the 29th. [Kyodo News]
*(Caption for photo)*: Osaka Mayor Hashimoto hugging Tang, President of the China-Japan Friendship Association (foreground) = Sunday afternoon, the 22nd, Miyakojima Ward, Osaka City.
### Comments Translation
* Tang Jiaxuan—a former State Councilor and top official of the Chinese Communist Party—made a public courtesy visit in broad daylight to Toru Hashimoto, who is merely a local government head (the Mayor of Osaka), and hugged him in front of everyone (April 2012).
https://gyazo.com/23bc3be7fde9a5f1c036e7e914ead79c
* Regarding the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Osaka was certainly not a disaster-stricken area.