Japan To Monitor Discussions On Un Human Rights Chief's Visit To Xinjiang
Japan's top government spokesperson says the country will closely monitor the discussions surrounding the UN human rights chief's visit to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China last week.
During his news conference on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu mentioned the two-day trip to Xinjiang taken by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
The United States and European countries are voicing concerns about the human rights situation in that region.
Matsuno said many members of the international community have been questioning whether Bachelet was allowed to move freely, had sufficient access to relevant facilities and was able to contact ethnic Uyghurs without being monitored.
He noted that the international community thinks the trip has done little to eliminate the suspicion that grave human rights violations have been committed.
Matsuno said Bachelet's visit must be rigorously evaluated.
He also said Japan will keep urging China to take more positive, concrete actions, such as granting independent observers free access to Xinjiang and providing transparent explanations.