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October 21, 2009 11:48 AM
Uyghur Activist Visits Japan Amid China's Protest
TOKYO, Oct 21 (Bernama)-- Exiled Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer arrived in Japan on Tuesday from the United States for a series of speeches across the country, amid a protest by China, Kyodo news agency reported.
After arriving at Narita airport outside Tokyo, Kadeer told reporters she wants the Japanese government to put pressure on China to correct its policies against minority people in the country.
Kadeer, who heads the World Uyghur Congress, said she is thankful for the issuance of a visa for her by the new Japanese government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, expressing hope that the Japanese people expand their assistance for her cause.
The visit is Kadeer's first to Japan since September's power change in Japan from the Liberal Democratic Party to the Democratic Party of Japan. She last visited Japan in July.
In Beijing on Tuesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said China is ''strongly dissatisfied'' with Japan's decision to allow Kadeer to visit the country and that it has made representations to Japan.
China accuses Kadeer of orchestrating the deadly outbreak of ethnic violence in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in July.
Kadeer told reporters at Narita airport she is very sorry and strongly protests against a series of death sentences given to Uyghurs in China.
On Oct 12, China's state media reported that six men have been sentenced to death for their roles in July's unrest in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Three days later, six more people were sentenced to death and three others to life imprisonment.
Kadeer called for an early release of Uyghurs detained in connection with the unrest.
Her supporters said Kadeer is scheduled to stay in Japan through early November and to give lectures at universities in Tokyo, western Japan and the Kyushu area.
During her July visit to Japan, Kadeer visited the LDP headquarters and met with LDP lawmakers. The supporters said Kadeer has no plans this time to visit any Japanese political party offices.
-- BERNAMA
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