December 14, 2021

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on December 13 issued the statement, “Urge China to end human rights oppression and abide by the Olympic Charter -- Don’t send any representatives from the Japanese government to opening and closing ceremonies in the 2022 Winter Beijing Olympics”. The full text is as follows:

Urge China to end human rights oppression and abide by the Olympic Charter -- Don’t send any representatives from the Japanese government to opening and closing ceremonies in the 2022 Winter Beijing Olympics

(1)
In the run-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, human rights violations and oppression of human rights by the Chinese government have once again been in the spotlight globally.

Recent crackdowns by the government in China on the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong are contrary to its international commitment to “One Country, Two System” and other international treaties and agreements. Its human rights abuses, such as oppression of and forced internment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang are also serious violations of its international law obligations.

The recent incident involving the disappearance of a Chinese female tennis player who accused a senior Chinese ruling party official of sexually abusing her is also a serious human rights issue. The international Women's Tennis Association (WTA) announced they are going to stop all WTA matches from being held in China.

These human rights violations and repressions by the Chinese government are contrary to international human rights agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), and the Vienna Declaration (1993), all of which the Chinese government itself has endorsed.

This is incompatible with the Olympic Charter, which states that the purpose of the Olympic Games is “to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity” (Fundamental Principles of Olympism 2), and “The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms outlined in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind...” (Fundamental Principles of Olympism 6).

(2)
The Japanese Communist Party urges the Chinese government, as the host nation holding the next Winter Olympic Games, to abide by international human rights agreements and the Olympic Charter, and to take measures to rectify human rights violations.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should demand that the Chinese government abide by the Olympic Charter, take steps to remedy human rights violations, and fulfill its responsibilities as the host country of the Olympics. It is also grave that in the case of the Chinese tennis player, the IOC is, in practice, supporting China's claim and is complicit in covering up the truth.

(3)
Sending a government delegation to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games in the face of the continuing oppression of international human rights arrangements and the Olympic Charter can be seen as tacit approval of human rights abuses in China.

The Japanese government should not send government representatives to the Beijing Olympics. This would not affect the running of the Games and not be political interference in the Olympics and sport. The participation of the athletes who have worked hard to prepare for the Games should be guaranteed.

At the same time, it is not just an issue of not sending a government delegation. The Japanese government has continued to avoid criticizing the grave human rights violations by the Chinese government based on international human rights agreements. Now, at a time when the response to the Beijing Winter Olympics has become a major international concern, the Japanese government should change its traditionally reactive attitude towards the Chinese government and, through calm diplomatic criticism based on international law, squarely call for the correction of human rights violations and compliance with the Olympic Charter.