Japan Premier Picks China Critic to Be Human Rights Adviser

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida picked a critic of China’s treatment of the Uyghur ethnic group to be his aide for human rights issues, a move that could increase friction between Asia’s two biggest economies.

The premier will name former Defense Minister Gen Nakatani to be his special adviser on human rights issues, a government spokesman told reporters Monday. The appointment is expected for later this week when a special parliamentary session convenes. 

Nakatani, who co-chairs a cross-party group of lawmakers on China policy, has been an advocate for Japan joining other major democracies in imposing sanctions on China and others over suspected human-rights abuses. He has been drafting legislation to make such actions happen.

“I hope to use the experience and knowledge I’ve gained as a politician who has worked intensely on issues involving human rights,” Nakatani told reporters Monday after meeting Kishida.

Last year, Nakatani was among a group of senior lawmakers from eight democracies including the U.S. who launched a cross-parliamentary alliance to counter what they said was the threat China’s growing influence poses to global trade, security and human rights.

Kishida helped guide his ruling Liberal Democratic Party to keep its majority in parliament in an Oct. 31 election, with foreign policy pledges calling for Japan to speak out on suspected human rights abuses by China in places such as Hong Kong and Xinjiang, where Uyghur Muslims live.

“The appointment of officials by the Japanese government is an internal affair of Japan. I have no comment. I would like to stress that China’s internal affairs brook no foreign interference,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

China denies mistreating its Uyghur Muslim minority, describing its policies as an effort to prevent extremism, fight terrorism and reduce poverty. It has bristled at criticism of its suspected rights abuses as politically motivated. 

Japan is stuck in the awkward position of being deeply entwined with China, its largest trading partner, even as it relies on the U.S. for defense as its sole military ally. President Joe Biden’s administration calls for a renewed focus on human rights has presented a challenge for Tokyo, which has often sought to maintain ties with U.S. adversaries and traditionally keeps criticism of other countries low key.

But Kishida, a former foreign minister who has served as premier for about a month, launched his bid to be leader of Japan’s ruling party with a focus on China. In an interview with Bloomberg News in September, he warned the Taiwan Strait may be the next major diplomatic problem after China’s clampdown on democratic freedoms in Hong Kong. Nakatani supported Kishida in the race for LDP leadership, Kyodo News reported.

Since taking office, his LDP has pledged to work with the U.S. and other partners to defend freedom, democracy, human rights -- signaling to Beijing that his government will be vigilant when it comes to its neighbor.

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