Cuban ambassador to Japan, Marcos Rodriguez, is reported to have held separate meetings with Japan Restoration Party Secretary General Yorihisa Matsuno, and the president of Yomiuri Shimbum, the largest-circulation newspaper of this country.

Press releases from the Cuban embassy in Tokyo mentioned the meeting with Matsuno, a parliamentary group leader from the Restoration Party, an organization founded a little over a year ago, with nine legislators currently in the Upper Chamber and 53 in the Lower Chamber.

During the meeting, Matsuno responded to the ambassador's interests regarding the foundation of the party, and learned of Havana's willingness to maintain relations with all political forces that maintain respectful attitudes toward the Cuban State and Revolution.

The Secretary General was accompanied by the senator of that organization, Antonio Inoki, an important sports figure, opinion leader, and traditional friend of Cuba.

In a separate meeting, Rodriguez was received by the president of Yomiuri Shimbum, Kojiro Shiraishi, at the new headquarters here of that important daily, with a daily circulation of 13 million copies.

According to the Cuban embassy, the diplomat stressed the traditional cooperative relationship between his country and that newspaper, developed over time with a Havana bureau for the daily, which frequently publishes news about the real situation in Cuba.

During the meeting, Shiraishi mentioned the late Seiichiro Ujiie, who was the president of the Nippon Television Network and a great promoter of friendly relations with Cuba and with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz.