Japan Press Weekly

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2021 January 20 - 26 [POLITICS]

Suga gov't should redress its silent attitude toward China

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

China's human-rights abuses in Hong Kong, crackdown on Hong Kong protesters, and suppression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang Uighur are increasing attracting global criticism. In Japan, in contrast, both Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu did not mention anything about China's acts in their policy speeches delivered to the 204th ordinary session of the Diet which started on January 18. While how to stop China's hegemonic acts and human-rights violations is becoming an important international issue, the Japanese ministers' silence is revealing.

What is going on in Hong Kong is never an "internal issue" as the Chinese government claims. China violates the "One country, Two systems" setup which China itself promised to the world. China also tramples on international treaties and accords upon which the country agrees or supports, provoking severe criticism from the European Union and many other of the world's governments.

In October of last year, at a meeting of the U.N. Third Committee, 39 countries including Germany published a joint statement expressing serious concern over China's human-rights violations in Hong Kong and the Uighur Autonomous Region. Their statement calls for respect for human rights and investigations in Uighur and Tibet in addition to immediate measures to redress the situation in Hong Kong. Most EU member states including countries having a good relationship with China named on this joint statement.

Regarding Japan-China relations, PM Suga in his policy speech said, "There are many pending issues lying between our two countries. Japan will assert what should be asserted and will strongly urge China to take concrete actions." He, however, did not touch upon human rights issues. The same applies to FM Motegi in his foreign policy speech.

Regarding China's hegemonic actions in the East and South China Seas, the Japanese government continues to avoid making criticism. At a joint press conference held after a Japan-China Foreign Minister's meeting in November of last year, Motegi's counterpart Wang Yi justified the presence of Chinese vessels near the Senkaku Islands as if Japanese fishing boats were responsible. Motegi, despite seeing the scene right in front of his very eyes, did not refute anything. It is shameful that PM Suga also evaded referring to the Senkaku issue in his policy speech.

On the other hand, the Suga government in addition to the former Abe government has taken advantage of China's hegemonic behavior and its arms buildup in order to promote their scheme to turn Japan into a "war-capable nation". The Suga government should change this posture. In order to stop China's hegemonism and human rights abuses, it is important to arouse international public opinion calling on China to comply with the U.N. Charter and international law and to besiege China in a diplomatic manner.

Past related articles:
> Japan worked on other countries to tone down condemnation of China's 1989 action in Tiananmen [December 24 & 25, 2020]
> Shii criticizes China's foreign minister over Senkakus [November 27, 2020]
> China's leadership still doesn't reflect on 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown [June 5, 2020]