Japan joins US-led diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics – RT UK

In addition to many Western countries, Japan has decided to join the US-led diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. But government officials stressed that there was “no definitive term” for the decision.

Japan has followed the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia and will not send an official delegation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, mentioned newspaper Japan Times.

With the exception of Seiko Hashimoto – a city councilor and former minister of state for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo – top Japanese officials will not attend the Olympics. But the president of the Japanese Olympic Committee Yasuhiro Yamashita and the head of the Japanese Paralympic Committee Kazuyuki Mori will also travel to Beijing.

However, the diplomatic boycott does not affect the Japanese athletes. They will participate in the games like the athletes from other boycott countries.

Messages According to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, he has decided not to make an official announcement so as not to lead to further tension in relations with China. Prime Minister Hirokazu Matsuno, who announced the move on behalf of the head of government, also refused to speak of a diplomatic boycott. He said there was no “set term” for the decision not to send government officials to Beijing.

Japan considers it important to respect the common values ​​of the international community such as freedom, human rights and the rule of law in China.

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Lithuania, the United States and the United Kingdom have decided to boycott the Winter Olympics in some form due to alleged human rights violations.

However, the boycotts have been criticized by other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin said this week:

“Sports – like art – should unite people and should not separate them, and states and governments should not divide.”

French President Emmanuel Macron compressed:

“Either you boycott the games entirely and don’t send any athletes, or you try to change things through meaningful actions.”

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