Visit to Japanese ballet troupe rekindles old ties

TOKYO: Old friendship was renewed on President Hu Jintao's last day in Tokyo. He visited a family-run Japanese ballet troupe that has long served as a friendly bridge between China and Japan.

At the Matsuyama Ballet of Tokyo, Hu praised its dedication to Sino-Japanese cultural exchange and friendship.

Ballet can be a family affair in Japan. The Matsuyama Ballet was founded in 1948 by the ballerina Mikiko Matsuyama. Her husband, Masao Shimizu, was director, and she artistic director.