Japan PM to appoint ex-defence chief human rights aide

On Nov 8, 2021

Japan new prime minister, Fumio Kishida is to appoint a Japanese former defence minister who is in favour of introducing a law to punish foreign violators of human rights as the aide on rights, a cabinet official said on Monday.

Fumio Kishida has said Japan should stand firm for democracy in the Chinese-ruled city of Hong Kong and that he supported a parliamentary resolution condemning China’s treatment of members of its Uyghur Muslim minority.

Arrangements were being made to appoint Gen Nakatani to the post on Wednesday.

Nakatani, 64, wants to introduce a Japanese version of the U.S. Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law that allows punishment of foreign human rights violators with U.S. asset freezes and bans on travel to the United States.

“As lawmaker, I’ve been tackling a fair amount of human rights issues.

“I would like to try and make appropriate advice based on my knowledge and experience,” Nakatani said.

Close U.S. ally Japan has been taking a more assertive stand on China in recent months as relations between China and the United States have become strained over various disagreements.

Kamila/Reuters