politics

Japan to hold off on sanctions against human rights offenders

45 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

45 Comments
Login to comment

Present Japan's government is also one of problematic regime that doesn't solve domestic many human rights violation such as abuse at immigration bureau.

20 ( +26 / -6 )

Sellouts

15 ( +22 / -7 )

Japan always dragging their feet.

15 ( +24 / -9 )

How about starting with human rights abuses within your own immigration holding facilities?

12 ( +18 / -6 )

Japan has a lot of business interest in Myanmar and does not want to upset the Junta. Or so they say.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Japan plans to do nothing. Surprise, surprise.

You can see the mindset of not trying to anger anyone as a strategy, but it doesn’t make it any more disappointing. The eternal fence sitters, you have to wonder where their fate will eventually lie.

Let’s have another meeting fellas to decide what we ain’t gunna done again.

“Soushimashou.” Downward look.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Japan to hold off on sanctions against human rights offenders

Japan knows deep down, that it must put it's own house in order first. The question is ; what is Japan's Ministry of (so called) justice going to do about it.

10 ( +16 / -6 )

The Japanese government should know: after all, they have a uniquely egregious experience with human rights abuses stretching back into the mists of time.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

the problem is that china can sanction back harder, and everyone knows this. so, better to avoid the loss of face. sucks if you are one of the millions of victims of china's 'reeducation'.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

They're holding off because they know they'd be hypocrites if they approved and implemented the sanctions / cough / immigration detention center scandal / cough /

6 ( +9 / -3 )

More lip-service from Kishida on his promises. And in any case, they know that if they endorsed sanctions on this it would turn around and bite them as one of the worst human rights offenders in the world in terms of labor and sex trafficking, among other things.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

The headline should read “Japan will not endanger money making” as long as the Yen rolls who cares about human rights, Money is The God in this country, money talks….

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Too much money to be made.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Proof again that Japan talks tough but appeases China. No wonder they're not part of AUKUS.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

Pukey, you’re poppin mate! So it’s all made up huh? No genocide, no forced re-education camps, just happy smiling dancing subjugated Uyghurs, tibetans, Inner Mongolians. All stoked to be under Xis rule.

Why didn’t you say so before, the west has it all wrong. We shall go off and self flagellate for sins of the past all while turning a blind eye to what’s happening in real time now. Makes perfect sense.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Bring the factories back home, take responsibility for your own emissions and give the big finger to Xi

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The decision didn’t come as a surprise. Kishida’s government is full of China lovers such as Motegi (Secretary General) and Hayashi (Foreign Minister).

3 ( +8 / -5 )

@Thomas Goodtime, well said!

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It’s not a question of moral issues but the power of oligarchs have in a democratic government. They’re in control; not the Hayashi’s or Motegi’s. Follow the money.

The people were useful in revolutions and as workers. Look at the propaganda posters of the people in heroic poses. Uncle Sam wants you. With AI on the horizon more and more will be irrelevant.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So, Japan places trade above human rights? Let's be honest, that's how all the other nations behave too. It's what has allowed China to grow unchallenged into a monster.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Ah, so the idea wasn't to sanction those credibly recognized as human rights abusers, or those credibly accused of perpetuating human rights abuses, it was to sanction those the US, often for political reasons, accuses of human rights violations, AND NOT THOSE THE US EXCUSES DESPITE THEIR PERPETUATING HUMAN RIGHTS ATROCITIES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, AND WAR CRIMES

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Sanctions hurt. The hope is they will hurt the offenders more than those placing the sanctions. If we all act together, they will hurt the offenders even more, perhaps to the point that a compromise will be needed by the offenders. That's the hope.

Thanks Japan.

If you don't like certain companies because of whatever reason, then just don't do business with those companies.

This would be ideal, if every product was labeled 100% correct, but they aren't. "Assembled in Japan" and I've not seen veg/fruits origination labeled except if that labeling was seen as a plus for marketing. I have no idea where the carrots in the fridge were grown or the frozen shrimp in the freezer.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Just an FYI:

Muji continues to use cotton from Xinjiang and in Australia (where they have a huge amount of Chinese customers) they proudly labelled a lot their items stating it was sourced from Xinjiang.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@Yukijin

Not sure that comparison tracks, WW2 era German citizens didn't have access to cellphone cameras and Youtube. Information is much more readily shared these days, and hiding something of that scope to the extent that we have no proof of it at all seems extremely unlikely. Especially when a lot of proof to the contrary already exists, and even western media has mostly dropped the genocide narrative for lack of evidence.

I don't know about you, but I have never heard of a genocide that resulted in an increase in population, life expectancy, and income of the minority population being supposedly persecuted.

In terms of the article, I think it is actually the right position to take until a point that things can be concretely verified. This isn't the kind of thing you want to alienate a country over until you are sure, especially when all non-anecdotal evidence points to the opposite.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Because they'd have to impose sanctions on themselves.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The news about Japan and Human Rights always deviates to Japanese Immigration Centers and Hostage Justice.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

This is Japan being diplomatic towards the US in rejecting the same policies rather than being cautious towards China. They want the market access and investments.

Over 2 million Taiwanese live and work in China. There is an abundance of business and money to be made.

The same with US banks companies in China. Morgan Stanley picks China stocks set to benefit from the new regulation.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan is a foot dragger when it comes to human rights. Domestically, there is no national policy for equal pay for equal work. Gender equality is not recognized in the workplace. Women are always paid less than men and are held in by a glass ceiling when it comes to vertical mobility. Japan has the lowest rate in the world for admitting refugees who seek asylum all the while that it faces a dramatic decline in its population. One would think the opposite with Japan’s dilemma over disappearing rural populations.

.Internationally, Japan’s economic interests take precedence over human rights violations. Japan is afraid of stirring up the economic relationship with China even as China is sending their war ships and bomber’s to intimidate Japan In regards to South Korea, Japan should be actively reaching out a helping hand to that country to help heal the wounds of its past human rights violations.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan is the last G7 country to take human rights seriously.

As a foreigner coming back to Japan the most anxious feeling I have is at Customs where the profiling is rife.

Japan is the only country in the whole world (I’ve been to over a dozen) where I have been fearful of having a middle finger inspection-thank goodness I keep my hair relatively short….

0 ( +2 / -2 )

A nation that hasn't fully come to terms with and atoned for its own war crimes probably has no business punishing other nations for theirs.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Japan to hold off on sanctions against human rights offenders

well of course! or they would have to sanction THEMSELVES!

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I like you stomping your feet about Japan not playing your lousy game

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

So, Japan places trade above human rights? Let's be honest, that's how all the other nations behave too.

No. Not "all the other nations" put trade before human rights.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The decision didn’t come as a surprise. Kishida’s government is full of China lovers such as Motegi (Secretary General) and Hayashi (Foreign Minister).

They may be regarded "dovish" within the conservative LDP, but not submissive to China. Considering education and career backgrounds, both are rather well-connected with the US.

I suspect that Komeito, the staunch pro-Beijing and the junior partner to the ruling coalition, must be playing the key role behind this setback. The LDP should consider realigning the coalition partners (by inviting more center-right Ishin).

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

addfwyn:

I don't know about you, but I have never heard of a genocide that resulted in an increase in population, life expectancy, and income of the minority population being supposedly persecuted.

Exactly. I am in no way saying that China is perfect (far from it) and I would not trust the CCP (or ANY other government for that matter) fully. But 'facts' coming from western media like BBC just don't add up. And whenever they're called out for this, like altering photos, blurring out dates when they're caught out, or saying nothing when witnesses change their stories over and over again, it really makes me suspicious. I too have fallen for these stories until I listened to both sides. The problem is that people are force-fed news from one side only. Learn another language or read other sources.

Like I said, relying on JT for news about Japan is like being a frog in a well.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

zichi:

If China thinks the west is not telling the truth about the Uyghurs then allow a UN team into the area and allow them full access to the people and institutions. Most of the mosques have been destroyed as seen in satellite photos.

Has it ever occurred to you that old mosques may be being replaced by newly built ones? There are mosques EVERYWHERE in China. Why does China always have to allow UN teams in when a western reporter makes allegations? There have already been so many other visitors and tourists (many of them are Muslim) visiting Xinjiang. There are also many Muslim foreigners living in China. Ask them! Zichi - why don't you learn Chinese or Uighur and visit the place yourself?

I'll give you another example of the complete anti-Chinese biased news making the rounds. Posters for movies like Star Wars. Many official versions have been made by the studios - some with the black actor and some without. China is then given all these different posters (with the wordings changed from English to Chinese) and they are all put up everywhere. Then, these so-called reporters takes a photo of an English version with the black actor and then takes a photo of a Chinese version without the black actor. And can you guess the reaction? Very easy to twist the facts. How strange they never show the English versions without the black actor or the Chinese versions with.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Maybe because Japan, like most other Muslim countries, knows these so-called human rights abuses in Xinjiang are made up by NED, ASPI, America, Christian extremists like Adrian Zenz who need to find WMD in China. How dare a non-white country do well in this world and threaten American hegemony. I suggest that after this pandemic, people go to Xinjiang themselves and see with their own eyes. There are also tons of videos made by Muslim tourists visiting Xinjiang. If we want to talk about cultural and other types of genocide, can we start with all the western countries and their colonial history. How many Celts, Ainus, aborigines, native Americans can still speak their own language?

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

"Human rights" are a cultural construct. (And yes, I'm very much aware how many down-votes this comment will get).

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

yukajin:

Bring the factories back home, take responsibility for your own emissions and give the big finger to Xi

Please do. Then when China's GHG emissions drop, who are you going to blame for climate change? China didn't put a gun toward anyone's head and force them to move their factories to China. You don't have to buy Chinese products.

I suggest you go to youtube and watch some ww2 documentaries and see how the average German citizen had no idea what was really going on with the jews.

Big difference - we now have internet now and people can travel around a lot easier. You can even go to Xinjiang too. But I'm guessing you don't understand a word of Chinese or Uighur. News travels fast, but only if you understand the language. If you only understand English, then you're limited to the western media. Just like people should not rely on JT for news about Japan.

ricky:

Why didn’t you say so before, the west has it all wrong. We shall go off and self flagellate for sins of the past all while turning a blind eye to what’s happening in real time now. Makes perfect sense.

So you know? Have you been to Xinjiang? Yeah the western media is always right, right? No agenda, right? The BBC has been caught out time and time again, but there has never been any response from them. So you can tell a building is an internment camp just from satellite photos? A building has a worker inside, suddenly it's force labor? There are mosques everywhere in China, not just Xinjiang. People are free to go and pray.

I think you're the one who's turning a blind eye. The west has no interest in seeing a non-white non-Christian country doing well.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

That is easy for all you to say when our nation is a island base country that rely heavily on resources provided by our neighbor and around half of the tourist coming here are from china. You wouldn't be quick to judge the government when supply chain get cut off and you start to wonder why the cities are going dark and you are freezing in the winter while food prices skyrocket. In my opinion no country actually had the right to meddle into another nation affairs and start sanctions. If you don't like certain companies because of whatever reason, then just don't do business with those companies.

-12 ( +9 / -21 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites