Tokyo: Ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) summit next month, Japanese ruling party lawmakers have put forward proposals to the government to advance the issue of human rights diplomacy amid growing investigations into abuses in Xinjiang province in China.
The proposals, which the party plans to submit this month, include ratifying a United Nations Convention on Genocide and enacting legislation to make sanctions possible, reports Nikkei Asia.
The recommendations of the Liberal Democratic Party also call on the government of Yoshihide Suga to support the idea of corporate prudence on human rights issues.
According to the Japanese newspaper, the proposal offers options, including reviewing existing legislation to provide for sanctions in response to human rights violations, or the adoption of a new law similar to the US Magnitsky Act.
This development appears to be a growing concern about human rights violations in Xinjiang, and fears of Japan’s relatively slow response to the rights issue.
Earlier this month, the Japan Forward reported that Japanese companies plan to suspend business relations with partners forcing Uyghur Muslims to work.
A total of 14 Japanese companies are among 80 of the world’s leading companies doing business with Chinese factories involved in the forced labor of Uyghurs, according to a report published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASIP).
Last month, leading Japanese ketchup producer Kagome stopped importing raw materials from Xinjiang province over Uyghur’s legal violation.
Worldwide, China is being reprimanded for beating Uyghur Muslims. Beijing, however, continues to deny accusations and evidence. Several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have described the situation in Xinjiang as genocide, following reports of forced sterilization and forced labor.
Source: Telangana Today