Sutaka Kojima, a Japanese explorer has been appointed by Qinghua University as a special researcher at the University's Center for International Communication Studies.

Once a famous jeweler trader in Japan, Kojima is now general representative of the Niya Ruins Research Institute at Japan Buddhism University and an honorary professor of Xinjiang University. He received a honorary certificate from the Environment and Resources Protection Committee of the National People's Congress for his contributions to protecting the Niya Ruins.

Kojima has been to Niya several times located in the center of Taklamakan desert. He has devoted his research to cultural communication between the East and the West. Kojima raised 100 million yen (about US$900,000) and set up several scholarships to promote the excavation of Niya Ruins.

Kojima delivered a speech titled "A Japanese Monk Searching China's Lost Buddha Kingdom in the Desert" at Qinghua University arousing enormous interest among the students for Niya culture. He also donated a number of picture albums on Niya worth 500,000 yuan (US$ 60,000) to the Qinghua.

"My flesh and bones will be buried at Niya" because "I love Chinese culture," he said. (Xinhua)