Feb 22 (Kyodo) - An uproar in Japan over the homeland of the "Moomin" storybook characters was elevated to a diplomatic matter on Wednesday, with the Japanese and Finnish foreign ministers assuring each other the issue has been well and truly resolved.
The hippopotamus-like characters, created by a Finnish artist, were the object of confusion and rage last month after a Japanese university entrance exam question on geography presented students with excerpts of the Moomins' adventures and asked them to name the country of origin, although the Moomins' homeland is never made clear in the original stories.
Speaking before the press ahead of a dinner meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told Finnish counterpart Timo Soini he understands the issue of the location of "Moominvalley" has been "settled."
