Japan PM to appoint ex-defence chief human rights aide

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 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.

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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.

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Kamila/Reuters
 
Japan PM to appoint ex-defence chief human rights aide