Japan parliament adopts resolution on human rights in China

Japan's parliament adopted a rare resolution on Tuesday on what it called the "serious human rights situation" in China, and asked the government to take steps to relieve the situation. Japan has already announced it will not send a government delegation to the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, following a US-led diplomatic boycott over concerns about China's human rights condition, although Tokyo avoided explicitly labeling its move as such.

Since taking office in October, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said on multiple occasions that Japan would not mince words with China when necessary, and in November appointed former defense 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 Uyghur 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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