Hong Kong bars Japanese city councillor from entry

"News reports by the likes of Wenweipo about my campaigning for pro-democracy activist Au Nok-hin in Hong Kong in a March by-election were untrue. We had met and I gave him a Daruma doll (to wish him victory), but I had not gone on stage or participated in any high-profile campaigning activities," Wada said.

You are a politician yourself and you can't come up with a better excuse than this? Maybe they were right to not let you into the country.

Just a trouble maker!

The usual heavy hand of the CCP. How shocking that he supports "pro-democracy"! Next thing you know we'll find out he admires the Dalai Lama too.

When Democratic Hong Kong was absorbed by China, I postulated that HK would absorb China instead.

I was wrong.

Ridiculous. Poor HK, now fully controlled by China. No wonder the democracy movement there is still actively fighting for more freedom for HK's people.

I was wrong.

You weren't the only one. The operating premise of globalists for the past couple of decades was that prosperity and a growing middle class would generate demands for and lead to democratic reform.

The opposite has occurred. dictatorships are emboldened by globalization, and democracies will soon be on the back foot. Look at Canada's lonely travails with Saudi. Saudi can get away with jailing women demanding rights because of its role in the globalized economic order.

It's time for democratic nations to represent regular people to rise up against the neo-lib elitists and all their "stakeholders" by agendas that put nation first.

It's time for democratic nations to represent regular people to rise up against the neo-lib elitists and all their "stakeholders" by agendas that put nation first.

Cool! If only the US were a democratic nation, it could lead the way!

The US is democratic. How else could we get a complete idiot in the White House?

One country, two systems.....

I think not!

The US is democratic. How else could we get a complete idiot in the White House?

Bro, when I look at the Democrats every single time, I think the same thing every single day.

I am really angry about this. Wada-san has every right to visit Hong Kong on personal visit. This is a scandal, and has the smell of the Communists all over it. Japan should lodge official protest with China by summoning the Ambassador. HK will be boycotted by Japanese if issue is not resolve.

When Democratic Hong Kong was absorbed by China

People in HK certainly enjoyed many more freedoms, but HK has never actually been a democracy, at least not in the sense of universal suffrage.

reckless trampling on international law and rude interference in Hong Kong and China’s internal affairs

This from the government of a country that is constantly violating Japanese territorial waters and building military bases in the South China Sea.

This is sad. China is leading the way, but the entire world is drifting toward authoritarianism, USA and even Japan included. I wish there were someplace that wasn't. I'd move there.

@JeffLee

dictatorships are emboldened by globalization, and democracies will soon be on the back foot. Look at Canada's lonely travails with Saudi. Saudi can get away with jailing women demanding rights because of its role in the globalized economic order.

I largely agree with your analysis, but what exactly is Saudi Arabia 'getting away with' here? Who do they have to answer to other than their own citizens? It seems that one blindspot you might have when it comes to globalisation is the assumption that Canadian or western values are universal. Many (I suspect a majority) of people in Saudi Arabia would reject creeping notions of western human rights if put to a vote, and would instead prefer to stick with their traditional ways. Who is Justin Trudeau to tell them they can't? I certainly don't want to live in Saudi Arabia but I think the people there should be free to build their dystopia. Using economic leverage to dictate subjective moral values to a foreign country is probably the most distasteful aspect of globalisation in my opinion. In the case of Hong Kong there is a treaty between China and the UK which sets out basic freedoms to be respected so you could say that China is getting away with not respecting the agreement, but Saudi Arabia is free of these constraints.

LagunaToday 07:25 am JST

When Democratic Hong Kong was absorbed by China, I postulated that HK would absorb China instead.

When has HK been democratic ?!

Americans say Russia influenced their politic maybe? But this guy is influencing Chinese politics. But Hong Kong should have an autonomous exististance as they have a different mindset. Japan should let the people decide.