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Japan
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Japan parliament passes resolution on human rights in China, expressing concern over Xinjiang, Hong Kong days before Beijing Winter Olympics

  • The motion, adopted by the lower chamber, stopped short of naming China, but expressed concern about ‘serious human rights situation’ in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong
  • It also called on the Japanese government to work with the international community in addressing the issue

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Activists protest against China’s human rights violations in Tokyo. Photo: ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Reuters
Japan’s parliament on Tuesday adopted a resolution on the “serious human rights situation” in China, and called Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government to take steps to relieve the situation, as the Beijing Winter Olympics loom just days ahead.
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Japan has already announced it will not send a government delegation to the Games, following a US-led diplomatic boycott over concerns about China’s human rights condition, although Tokyo avoided explicitly labelling its move as such.
Since taking office in October, Kishida has said on multiple occasions that Japan would not mince words with China when necessary, and in November appointed former defence minister Gen Nakatani as his aide on human rights.
The resolution, adopted by the lower chamber, said the international community has expressed concerns over such issues as internment and the violation of religious freedom in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Tibet and Hong Kong.

“Human rights issues cannot just be domestic issues, because human rights hold universal values and are a rightful matter of concern for the international community,” the resolution said.

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