The House of Representatives is set to pass a resolution expressing concern about Uyghur human rights as early as Tuesday, in a move likely to irritate China days before the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
The resolution, watered down during months of debate among ruling and opposition parties, is a sign of Tokyo¡¯s struggle to balance ties between its ally the U.S. and its biggest trading partner, China. Nevertheless, its passage just ahead of the Olympics and in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties indicates determination among many lawmakers to hold Beijing to account for suspected human rights abuses.
¡°It¡¯s an enormous first step,¡± Yasue Funayama, an opposition lawmaker and co-chair of one of the parliamentary human rights groups leading the effort, said of the resolution in an interview in Tokyo on Thursday. ¡°If the whole of parliament agrees that there are concerns about the human rights situation, we will have to look at what to do about it.¡±
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