SOUND / VIDEO: APExpress 4 – 10/29/2011 3:33:00 AM – AP-APTN-0630: ++Japan Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has blamed China's leadership on the growing number of self-immolations among Buddhist monks in China.

On his arrival in Japan Saturday, the Dalai Lama was asked about recent deaths of nine Tibetans, who set themselves on fire to protest Beijing's religious policies. One of them was a woman. The Dalai Lama blamed what he called China's ruthless and illogical policies for the acts.

(( opt aptn soundbite: “Actually, the local leader must look what's the real causes of death. It's their own sort of wrong policy, ruthless policy, illogical policy.”

The Nobel Prize laureate called on Chinese leaders to change repressive policies, saying it is in their own interest.

(( opt aptn soundbite: “So the best way to govern people is by the people themselves, elected democratically, elected political leadership – that is the right way, the right system.”

The Dalai Lama is in Japan for a 10-day visit to give a series of seminars and speeches. He will also meet with religious leaders and academics and visit the earthquake and tsunami- hit Fukushima prefecture.