Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama sent a message to the visiting Dalai Lama through a group of Japanese lawmakers Sunday, saying he hopes to meet with the Tibetan spiritual leader again. 

Kyodo News agency said Hatoyama avoided directly meeting with the Dalai Lama apparently in hopes of not provoking China.  But the message may draw criticism from Beijing all the same, it added.

Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Hatoyama meeting the Dalai Lama in Tokyo in November 2007.

Before he became prime minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama (then, Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General) met with the Dalai Lama in 2007 at a Tokyo hotel, DPJ Secretary general Hatoyama, expressed "strong support'' for the Dalai Lama's efforts to gain greater autonomy for Tibet from China's government.

Some information for this report was provided by Kyodo and Phayul.