Japanese Lawmakers Urge Probe into Car Makers’ Links to Forced Labour

Japanese Lawmakers Urge Probe into Car Makers' Links/ANI

VoM News Desk | March 21, 2024 | 08:19 PM IST | Japan, World | Follow on Google News

Japanese Lawmakers Urge Probe into Car Makers’ Links to Forced Labour

Japanese Lawmakers Urge Probe into Car Makers’ Links to Forced Labour

Amid concerns over forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region, Japanese lawmakers from various political parties have called on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government to investigate potential connections between car manufacturers and the tainted aluminium industry.

HRW Report Highlights Humanitarian Crisis

Citing a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), lawmakers raised alarm over alleged human rights violations committed against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang since 2017. These violations include arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, cultural persecution, and forced labour.

Call for Action and Advocacy

The group of lawmakers emphasized the need for the Japanese government to take measures and find alternatives for aluminium sourced from China, particularly from Xinjiang. They also highlighted the role of the Non-Partisan Parliamentary Association for Reconsidering Human Rights Diplomacy, led by former parliamentarian Shiori Kanno and ruling party lawmaker Gen Nakatani, in advocating for human rights in Japan’s foreign policy.

Push for Legislative Changes

Kanno has been vocal in urging the association to introduce legislation aimed at promoting human rights due diligence and imposing sanctions on individuals involved in serious rights abuses. However, she has faced backlash, including baseless accusations from Hong Kong authorities, suggesting her efforts are being noticed by the Chinese government.

Recommendations for Government Action

The HRW report recommended that the Japanese government heed the bipartisan group’s calls for enacting human rights due diligence and sanctions laws. Additionally, it urged the government to impose targeted sanctions on officials implicated in rights abuses, demonstrating a firm stance against such violations.

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