Japan will not send a government delegation to the Beijing Olympics by Reuters

By Daniel Leussink and Kantaro Komiya

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan will not send a government representative to the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing on Friday, saying it would increase tensions with China.

The decision comes after a diplomatic boycott of the US-led Games on China’s human rights concerns, even though Japan has specifically avoided labeling its movement.

Japan, despite being a partner in the United States, has strong economic ties with China.

Tokyo will not send a government representative to the 2022 Winter Games, but will send some officials directly linked to the Olympics, Cabinet Secretary-General Hirokazu Matsuno said in a news release.

These officials include Seiko Hashimoto, chairman of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, as well as heads of the home Olympic and Paralympic Committees.

“Japan believes that it is important for China to guarantee freedom, respect for basic human rights and the rule of law, which are the universal values ​​of the international community,” Matsuno said.

He added that Japan was dealing with such issues directly with China on several levels, adding that this year’s Tokyo Games showed that the Olympics and the Paralympics were a celebration of peace and sports that give the world courage.

“The Japanese government decided to respond to the Beijing Winter Olympics by considering these points and deciding on its own,” he said.

Matsuno said the lack of Japanese officials had not been taken under a “specific deadline” and said the government did not call the move a boycott.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference that China had welcomed Japanese officials and Olympic athletes.

China has not sent a government delegation to the Tokyo Summer Olympics this year, but a sports delegation, led by the head of the sports office.

Japan has generally taken a softer tone on the issue of human rights in China, reflecting its widespread dependence on China, not only as a manufacturing hub, but also as a market for automotive items and construction equipment items.

However, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has put more pressure on the Liberal Democratic Party in his government to take a tougher stance on China, the public broadcaster NHK said.