Japan parliament passes resolution on “serious human rights situation” in China days ahead of Beijing Winter Olympics
DHARAMSALA, 1 Feb: The Japanese parliament has adopted a resolution today expressing concern on the “serious human rights situation” in China.
“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 passed by the lower house of Japan’s bicameral legislature reads, the Reuters reported.
According to a report, the rare resolution passed days before the Beijing Olympics has highlighted the concerns expressed by “the international community over issues such as internment and the violation of religious freedom in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tibet and Hong Kong.”
“This chamber recognises changes to the status quo with force, which are symbolised by the serious human rights situation, as a threat to the international community,” the resolution passed with a majority vote in the lower house said.
The parliamentary resolution has further called on the Japanese government to work with the international community in addressing the issue.
“The government should collect information to grasp the whole picture … , monitor the serious human right situation in cooperation with the international community, and implement comprehensive relieving measures,” it said.
However, the resolution failed to directly use the word “China” anywhere in the text, which the report described as a possible nod to close bilateral economic ties as Japan’s economy relies heavily on China.
Earlier on 24th Dec. 2021, Japan announced that they have no plans to send a government delegation to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as they joined the diplomatic boycott of the games.
The Games are scheduled to be held over 4 -20 Feb, but calls to boycott it continue to get steam over China’s crimes against humanity and genocide.
So far, the US, the UK, Lithuanian, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Kosovo and Taiwan have all announced the diplomatic boycott of the winter games.
Besides, the Olympic and Paralympic Committee of countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Dutch and Australia have all reportedly issued similar advice to their “athletes, coaches and staff to refrain from using their personal electronic devices while in China due to surveillance concerns, and use ‘burner’ phones rather than their cellphones.”
