China has imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Seki Hei, a China-born critic of the Chinese Communist Party, citing his statements on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, and the Diaoyu Islands. The sanctions freeze any Chinese assets he may hold, bar his family from Chinese visas, and prohibit Chinese organizations from engaging with him.
Tokyo condemned the move as “absolutely unacceptable”, with government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi saying it undermines lawmakers’ freedom of expression, a cornerstone of Japanese democracy. Japan has formally requested that Beijing withdraw the sanctions, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Seki, also known as Shi Ping, dismissed the sanctions as a “mere farce,” stating he holds no assets in China nor any intention of visiting. The lawmaker recently won a seat in Japan’s upper house with a platform emphasizing China policy, immigration, and national sovereignty.
