On February 3, 2000 (December 28, 1999 in the lunar calendar), the famous Japanese politician Nikaido Jin died. On May 14th, 1973, Japanese Prime Minister tanaka kakuei met with Liao Chengzhi, head of the delegation of China-Japan Friendship Association to Japan, at the Prime Minister's residence. From left: Ambassador Chen Chu, Lin Li-kai, Liao Chengzhi, tanaka kakuei and Nikaido Jin. Nikaido Jin, a famous Japanese politician, died of illness on the afternoon of February 3, 2000 at the age of 90. During his tenure as Chief Cabinet Secretary of Tanaka, Nikaido accompanied Prime Minister tanaka kakuei and Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ohira to China in 1972. During the visit, the Japanese government and the Chinese government issued the Japan-China Joint Statement, which restored diplomatic relations between the two countries. Since then, Nikaido has visited China many times and made contributions to the cause of Japan-China friendship. Nikaido was born in Takasama Village, Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan in 1909. He studied in the United States in his early years and graduated from the University of Southern California. Since 1946, he has been elected as a member of the House of Representatives 16 times, and has served as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, president of general affairs, vice president, head of the Cabinet Science and Technology Department, head of the Hokkaido Development Department, etc. In 1996, he retired from politics. He won the United Nations Peace Prize in 1991. Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said in a speech that night that Mr. Nikaido has made great contributions to the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. Obuchi expressed his condolences and grief over his passing.