Japan Takes Measured Approach to Sending Government Officials to Beijing Olympics

Last week, Japan announced that it would not send a government delegation of senior officials to the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics. Kyodo News said that the decision was "seen as in line with a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of the sporting spectacle over China's human rights record."

Kyodo also quoted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as saying: "It's important that the universal values of freedom, basic human rights and the rule of law are ensured in China." Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that Japan "will not use a 'special term' to explain the move."

At a press conference, China's foreign ministry spokesperson was asked twice about Japan's decision, and the exchanges were as follows:

Phoenix TV: We’ve noted that Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on December 24 that Japan’s Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita, Paralympic Committee President Kazuyuki Mori and Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Do you have any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: China welcomes representatives of Japan’s Olympic Committee and other organizations as well as Japanese athletes to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. We have every confidence that working together with all sides under the Olympic motto of “together”, China will deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic event to the world.

The Paper: I’d like to follow up on an earlier question. A fellow journalist said that Japan’s Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita, Paralympic Committee President Kazuyuki Mori and Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. I’ve seen other reports that Japan’s delegation of athletes will compete in the Beijing Games as scheduled, but Japan has no plans to send a government delegation. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: China welcomes representatives of Japan’s Olympic Committee and other organizations as well as Japanese athletes to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. We paid attention to the statement from the Japanese government. Japan and China agreed to support each other in hosting the Olympics. The Japanese side is hoped and urged to take concrete actions to honor its word on this and on not politicizing sports. China has every confidence that working together with all sides under the Olympic motto of “together”, China will deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic event to the world.