Japan Joins Boycott of Beijing Olympics

Export Restrictions on Technologies Raising Human Rights Concerns
Taking a Position of Close US-Japan Cooperation

▲Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Japanese government has decided to align with its ally, the United States, by announcing its participation in the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics. It also took a stance of close US-Japan cooperation by regulating exports of technologies that raise human rights concerns.

On the 24th, Japanese media such as Sankei and NHK reported that the Japanese government planned to declare a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics on that day. Earlier, on the 16th, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated at the House of Councillors Budget Committee that he would not attend the Beijing Olympics.

The Sankei Shimbun evaluated, "The boycott of the Beijing Olympics is ultimately a move in line with the United States."

The United States declared a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics on the 6th, citing human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur region by China. Subsequently, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and others also announced boycotts in succession.

Additionally, the Japanese government is reportedly considering regulating exports of technologies that raise human rights concerns in coordination with the United States and Europe.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the same day, the Japanese government has begun legal reviews to regulate exports of technologies that raise human rights concerns. Japan currently manages exports of weapons or militarizable goods based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act. It intends to examine whether human rights-related fields can also be regulated under this law.

Japan has already designated semiconductors as export-controlled items from a military perspective. To newly add technologies such as facial recognition to the list of controlled items, amendments to related laws are necessary. Afterwards, Japan plans to consult with the United States and the European Union (EU) to discuss which products will be targeted.

China is known to be using facial recognition technology to monitor the Uyghur population in Xinjiang.

In particular, Japanese companies are reported to have advanced levels of facial recognition technology, surveillance camera-related technology, and GPS-related technology, raising concerns about their potential use in human rights violations.

Meanwhile, the United States has urged Japan to enact related laws and join efforts to impose sanctions on China over human rights issues.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.