Arab News Japan
 
TOKYO: On March 30, Japan  called on China to hold elections in Hong Kong “in a fair manner that are open to candidates representing a wide range of political opinions, and said its grave concern is intensifying as provisions on the electoral system in the Hong Kong Basic Law have been changed by China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress without listening to the strong concern from the international community.

“Japan  has consistently expressed its long-standing position to attach great importance to upholding a free and open system and ensuring the democratic and stable development of Hong Kong that, since its return in 1997 to China, it has enjoyed prosperity under the -One Country, Two System- framework, and has developed as a financial center of Asia. Japan is urging China to take such concrete actions,” an official Japanese government said. 
 

Jointly with Australia, India, and the US, Japan has expressed strong concerns that the decision by the National People’s Congress on March 11 to change the electoral system in Hong Kong, would stifle political pluralism in Hong Kong, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Hong Kong Basic Law.

The change this time “will further undermine the confidence in the ‘One Country Two System’ framework This represents a major setback for the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong. Japan cannot overlook this.”