The Japanese government urged China on Monday to lift sanctions against a member of Japan¡¯s ruling Liberal Democratic Party who heads a suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers seeking closer ties with Taiwan.
The government said that the sanctions against Keiji Furuya, including a ban on his entry into China, were absolutely unacceptable and extremely regrettable.
¡°The freedom of expression of lawmakers, who represent the people, is the foundation of our country¡¯s democracy and should be respected,¡± Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki told a news conference.
Furuya said that it was ¡°natural¡± for Japan to have exchanges with Taiwan, criticizing China¡¯s sanctions. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to China in decades, so they don¡¯t particularly affect me,¡± he added.
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