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omonatheydidThe Japanese government pledged in a document it submitted to the Chinese government early this year that Japan will not bring North Korean defectors into Japanese diplomatic establishments in China to protect them, it has been learned.
The document says Japan "will respect China's domestic laws and will not bring defectors from outside diplomatic establishments into the diplomatic establishments," according to Japanese government officials. It was submitted at the request of the Chinese government, the officials said.
The Japanese government apparently gave in to pressure from China, a supporter of North Korea, and virtually gave up protecting North Korean defectors.
According to the officials, the government submitted the document during negotiations with the Chinese government over the transfer to Japan of five North Korean defectors, who were taken into protective custody by the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, in 2008 and 2009.
The Chinese government claimed the defectors were "illegal border crossers" and refused to allow them to leave China. Therefore, they had been stuck in the country from about two years to two years and eight months.
To break the deadlock, the Japanese government late last year conveyed a verbal message to the Chinese government that Japan "will heed" China's stance that Japan "should not protect North Korean defectors."
In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry softened its attitude, but Chinese public security authorities were reluctant to accept Japan's message.
As a result, they pressured the Japanese government to make a written pledge stating, "The Japanese government highly praises China's past response that allowed North Korean defectors to go to Japan. From now on, we will not bring [North Korean defectors] from outside diplomatic establishments [into them]."
After the government submitted the document to the Chinese government, the five North Korean defectors were allowed to leave for Japan by May.
In 2006, the Japanese government established a law concerning human rights in North Korea. The law stipulates that the treatment of North Korean defectors represents "human rights violations" by Pyongyang and the Japanese government "will take measures for their protection and support."
Japanese diplomatic establishments in foreign countries, including China, have taken into custody about 200 North Korean defectors.
However, the submission of the written pledge to the Chinese government made it difficult for Japan to protect defectors in China unless they have Japanese citizenship.
Around March, the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang received a request from a North Korean defector to be taken into protective custody but it rejected it after taking the written pledge into consideration.
Currently, there are no North Korean defectors under the protection of Japanese diplomatic establishments in China.
After five North Korean defectors rushed into the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang in May 2002, many similar cases followed. Because the Chinese government beefed up security around the consulate general, the Japanese side contacted North Korean defectors and their supporters outside and brought dozens of defectors into the establishment by car.
However, the Chinese government, which was strengthening security measures ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, opposed Japan's actions and extended the period before it allowed defectors to go to Japan, which was previously about several months.
Asked by The Yomiuri Shimbun whether the government submitted the document to China, a Foreign Ministry official said, "I can't answer that question."
Hiroshi Honma, a professor emeritus at Hosei University who specializes in international refugee law, said: "Although China is a signatory of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, it repatriates North Korean defectors, whose lives are threatened, to their country. This is impermissible under international law.
"However, judicial precedents at the International Court of Justice show diplomatic establishments overseas don't have the authority to protect refugees. Also, there is no international law that allows diplomats to bring in North Korean defectors from outside diplomatic establishments," he said.
Source: yomiuri
The document says Japan "will respect China's domestic laws and will not bring defectors from outside diplomatic establishments into the diplomatic establishments," according to Japanese government officials. It was submitted at the request of the Chinese government, the officials said.
The Japanese government apparently gave in to pressure from China, a supporter of North Korea, and virtually gave up protecting North Korean defectors.
According to the officials, the government submitted the document during negotiations with the Chinese government over the transfer to Japan of five North Korean defectors, who were taken into protective custody by the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, in 2008 and 2009.
The Chinese government claimed the defectors were "illegal border crossers" and refused to allow them to leave China. Therefore, they had been stuck in the country from about two years to two years and eight months.
To break the deadlock, the Japanese government late last year conveyed a verbal message to the Chinese government that Japan "will heed" China's stance that Japan "should not protect North Korean defectors."
In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry softened its attitude, but Chinese public security authorities were reluctant to accept Japan's message.
As a result, they pressured the Japanese government to make a written pledge stating, "The Japanese government highly praises China's past response that allowed North Korean defectors to go to Japan. From now on, we will not bring [North Korean defectors] from outside diplomatic establishments [into them]."
After the government submitted the document to the Chinese government, the five North Korean defectors were allowed to leave for Japan by May.
In 2006, the Japanese government established a law concerning human rights in North Korea. The law stipulates that the treatment of North Korean defectors represents "human rights violations" by Pyongyang and the Japanese government "will take measures for their protection and support."
Japanese diplomatic establishments in foreign countries, including China, have taken into custody about 200 North Korean defectors.
However, the submission of the written pledge to the Chinese government made it difficult for Japan to protect defectors in China unless they have Japanese citizenship.
Around March, the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang received a request from a North Korean defector to be taken into protective custody but it rejected it after taking the written pledge into consideration.
Currently, there are no North Korean defectors under the protection of Japanese diplomatic establishments in China.
After five North Korean defectors rushed into the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang in May 2002, many similar cases followed. Because the Chinese government beefed up security around the consulate general, the Japanese side contacted North Korean defectors and their supporters outside and brought dozens of defectors into the establishment by car.
However, the Chinese government, which was strengthening security measures ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, opposed Japan's actions and extended the period before it allowed defectors to go to Japan, which was previously about several months.
Asked by The Yomiuri Shimbun whether the government submitted the document to China, a Foreign Ministry official said, "I can't answer that question."
Hiroshi Honma, a professor emeritus at Hosei University who specializes in international refugee law, said: "Although China is a signatory of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, it repatriates North Korean defectors, whose lives are threatened, to their country. This is impermissible under international law.
"However, judicial precedents at the International Court of Justice show diplomatic establishments overseas don't have the authority to protect refugees. Also, there is no international law that allows diplomats to bring in North Korean defectors from outside diplomatic establishments," he said.
Source: yomiuri
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Date: 2011-12-11 02:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 02:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 02:28 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-12-12 12:06 am (UTC)they were doing a documentary too on the chinese website or channel about the bridge between china and north korea. i got so pissed off, i closed the tele