Japan’s House of Representatives adopted a resolution on Tuesday that expresses concern over the “serious human rights situation” and the violation of religious freedom in China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
The resolution adopted by the Lower Chamber did not directly blame China or use the term “human rights abuses.” However, it demanded Beijing’s accountability and called on the Japanese government to be constructively involved by closely working with other countries to monitor and implement comprehensive measures.
“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 stated.
Following the adoption of the resolution, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasised the importance of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights. “Such values should also be protected in other countries. Taking the resolution seriously, we will continue to carry out policies and diplomacy that uphold universal values such as human rights,” Kishida told reporters.
Today, the House of Representatives of Japan🇯🇵 adopted the resolution on the serious #humanrights situation including in #Xinjiang #Uyghur, #Tibet, Inner #Mongolia & #HK.
— Yasushi MASAKI.Amb. of Japan to EU. 駐EU大使 正木 靖 (@yasushi_m_Japon) February 1, 2022
🇯🇵Gov emphasizes universal values incl. human rights & keep working closely with the international community.
In response to the resolution’s passing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the resolution “is extremely vile in nature, as it disregards facts and truth, maliciously denigrates China’s human rights conditions, gravely violates international law and basic norms governing international relations, and grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs.” He added that China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a protest with Japan over the “severe political provocation.”
Zhao further retorted that “Japan committed innumerous crimes during the war of aggression it waged in the past” and has its own “deplorable track record in human rights.” Japan therefore has “no authority [...] to make remarks about other countries’ human rights conditions,” the spokesperson concluded.
The rhetoric between China and the West over Beijing’s human rights record has been heating up in recent months as the Winter Olympics approach. In addition to Japan, several countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, have announced diplomatic boycotts of the Beijing Olympics over humanitarian concerns.
In face of the backlash, China has recently agreed to allow the United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to visit Xinjiang “in the first half of 2022 after the Beijing Winter Olympics.” However, Beijing has set forth the prerequisite that the trip must be “friendly” in nature and not disguised as “an investigation with the presumption of guilt.”
China has also requested that Bachelet’s office hold off on publishing a report into Xinjiang ahead of the Olympics, as requested by Washington. Similarly, Japan’s House of Councillors is also expected to adopt a resolution after the Winter Olympics close on February 20.