Tokyo, Japan — October 10, 2024
Chinese authorities have escalated harassment against Chinese citizens residing in Japan, particularly those involved in activities deemed “subversive” by Beijing, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch on Thursday. The report sheds light on China’s growing efforts to stifle dissent and prevent the international community from learning about its ongoing human rights abuses in regions like Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia.
The report is based on interviews with 25 individuals living in Japan, including Uyghurs, Tibetans, and ethnic Mongolians. Many of these individuals had participated in peaceful activities, such as organizing public events to raise awareness of human rights violations in Xinjiang, promoting Tibetan cultural preservation, and discussing works by Inner Mongolian activists. Despite the non-violent nature of these activities, Chinese authorities have reached out to these individuals or their families back in China, pressuring them to cease their efforts.
Human Rights Watch cited examples of citizens who faced threats, such as a Uyghur man who was coerced by a Chinese police officer to spy on activists in Japan. The officer, who interrupted a family phone call, threatened the man’s relatives, warning that he “could not guarantee what would happen” if the man did not comply. Another case involved a Tibetan cultural promoter in Japan who was instructed to return to Tibet to renew their passport, a move likely intended to bring them back under Chinese control.
The report also highlighted the arrest of a woman in 2023 when she returned to Hong Kong after posting pro-democracy comments online during her studies in Japan. These cases, according to Human Rights Watch, reveal the extent of China’s transnational repression, with Chinese authorities increasingly leveraging family ties and fear to silence overseas dissent.
“Japan should promptly establish a national system to investigate cases of transnational repression with appropriate safeguards for individuals’ privacy,” urged Teppei Kasai, Asia program officer at Human Rights Watch. The organization called on the Japanese government to take decisive action by pressuring Beijing to end its surveillance and intimidation of Chinese citizens in Japan. Additionally, Human Rights Watch recommended the creation of a reporting system to provide protection for those targeted by Beijing’s harassment.
This mounting pressure suggests China’s growing wariness of its human rights abuses, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang, coming to light on the global stage. The efforts to silence critics abroad point to Beijing’s fear that international scrutiny may fuel further condemnation of its oppressive policies in these regions. As these voices persist in raising awareness, the Chinese government appears determined to stifle dissent even beyond its borders.
