Tokio, June 20.
Abbot Ghion Matsubara of the Higashi Hongwanji will leave for Rome on July 14 by the T.K.K.S. Siberia, Maru, in order to make w study of Roman Catholic institu+ tions.
"The sending of a Buddhist priest to Rome after all the opposition raised by Buddhists agains the commissioning of a diplomatic official to the Vatican may appear' self-contradictory,"' remarked thd Abbot when interviewed by' pressd representatives yesterday. "As matter of fact, this opposition was raised because Buddhists saw' ud necessity of taking such a coursed before knowing what the institu, tion of the Vatican really meant. The object of the present journey is to make the closest possible study of the Vatican in particular and Catholicism in general."
Abbot Matsubara expects his mission will occupy about a year and a half.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.