Country Advice
China
China – CHN36468 – Japan – Prodemocracy movement – 1989 protests –
Students – Overseas protests – Asylum
seekers – Tiananmen commemorators
23 April 2010
1. Are there any reports of 3,000 Chinese students in Shibuya, Japan, engaging in antigovernment activities over Tiananmen Square on 5 June 1989?
Chinese students in Japan did engage in anti-Chinese government activities in the form of
rallies and protests from 4 to 9 June 1989 in the Shibuya district of central Tokyo, as a
response to the events of Tiananmen Square. On Sunday 4 June 1989, an estimated 20003000 students and sympathisers rallied at Miyashuita Park in Tokyo‟s Shibuya district and
then marched to the Chinese Embassy. Demonstrations outside the Chinese embassy
continued on 5 June 1989.1 Four days later on Thursday 8 June 1989, approximately 3000
Chinese students and supporters again marched in protest from the Shibuya district to
Shinjiku‟s Meiji Park in Tokyo.2
2. Are there any reports of Wu’er Kaixi making a speech at the New Tokyo Language
School in Japan in 1991?
There were no reports found of Wu‟er Kaixi making a speech at the New Tokyo Language
School in Japan during 1991. Mr Wu‟er Kaixi, a well-known Chinese student dissident leader
who fled China and travelled the world after the Tiananmen Square events, was in Japan from
the 13 -18 December 1989. The purpose of his visit was to help establish a Japanese branch of
the Federation for Democracy in China (FDC), a body intended to advocate against the oneparty state in China. A FDC branch was formally established at the time following Kaixi‟s
meeting at a Tokyo hotel with approximately 200 other Chinese activists.3
3. Are there any reports of the students in Japan who engaged in anti-government
activities over Tiananmen Square applying for protection visas in Japan and the
Japanese government refusing all of the applications?
Protesting Chinese students in Japan did apply for asylum/protective visas with the Japanese
government in the months and years following the June 1989 Tiananmen events, and the
Japanese government did refuse to grant formal refugee status to these students. While
acceding to the UN 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the status of refugees in
1981 and having provisions in law providing for individuals to apply for asylum through the
1
„Massacre in China - Chinese in Japan protest “Military Massacre‟ 1989, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 June –
Attachment 1; “Two thousand Chinese hold Protest rally‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 4 June –
Attachment 2.
2
„Chinese Students march, call for Japanese Sanctions (Demonstration in Japan)‟ 1989, Japan Economic News
wire, 9 June – Attachment 3.
3
„Chinese student dissident leader leaves Japan‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 18 December – Attachment
4; „China warns Japan about dissident leader‟s visit‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 13 December –
Attachment 5.
Page 1 of 5
Ministry of Justice, the Japanese government was reluctant to grant protection status,
reportedly from a fear of damaging its relations with China. The Japanese government was
accused at the time of making procedures so difficult and prolonged so as to deter students
from even applying.4
Chinese students at the time were instead granted rolling visa extensions under various
categories on a case by case basis. These extensions to remain in Japan ranged from two
weeks to three months periods. This effectively stopped Chinese dissidents from being
returned to China to face possible persecution. 5 The first Chinese political asylum application
case formally accepted by Japan occurred twelve years after the 1989 events. By 2006, just
two Chinese asylum seekers had achieved formal refugee status in Japan.6
4. Are there any reports of citizens in China engaging in anti-government activities
related to Tiananmen Square on an annual basis on 4 June? If so, what happens to
these activists?
Citizens in China do attempt to organise commemorations related to the Tiananmen Square
events on an annual basis around 4 June. These have consisted of both individuals and groups
seeking to undertake small scale events such as the unfurling of banners, leaflet distribution,
wearing of white clothes, delivering speeches or organising discussions, and petition-signing.
Punishments against those involved in these memorials, labelled anti-government or counterrevolutionary by the government, range from warnings to formal arrest.
In the early 1990s immediately following the Tiananmen demonstrations, minor
commemorative activities such as those described above were successfully carried out.
Punishments against those involved ranged from warnings, detention for several days, and
arrests for periods of around one year.7
In the lead up to subsequent anniversaries of the 4 June events, Chinese authorities have more
often taken pre-emptive measures against individuals attempting public commemorations.
Close to the date officials have reportedly restricted the movements of known individual
activists and dissidents through house arrests, surveillance, or by ordering them to leave
Beijing.8
Harsher treatment against those who have sought to peacefully commemorate the anniversary
has been imposed at times ,however, and this includes imprisonment or labour camp
4
O‟Neill, M. 1990, „Chinese students in Japan seek new country to call home‟, Reuters, 30 March – Attachment
6; Amnesty International 1993, Japan: Inadequate protection for refugees and asylum seekers, March –
Attachment 7; Jameson, S. 1995, „Court Rejects China Activist's Request for Asylum in Japan Ex-student Zhao
Nan loses his longstanding appeal‟, Los Angeles Times, 10 March – Attachment 8.
5
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1989, JPN2206 - Japan 1) What are the procedures for claiming
refugee status in Japan; 2) What are the criteria used in making the determination; 3) How many Chinese (PRC)
students have applied for and have been granted refugee status…1 October – Attachment 9; Zhoa, J., 2004 „The
betrayal of democracy: Tiananmen‟s shadow over Japan‟, HAOL, 4, pp.75-85 – Attachment 10.
6
Zhoa, J., 2004 „The betrayal of democracy: Tiananmen‟s shadow over Japan‟, HAOL, 4, pp.75-85 –
Attachment 10; Dean, M. 2006, Japan: Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Writenet, February, UNHCR website,
pp.10, 38 http://www.unhcr.org/home/RSDCOI/43f4a4b94.pdf – Accessed 26 October 2007 – Attachment 11.
7
DFAT 1991, DFAT Cable SH6732: Shanghai second anniversary of 4 June and associated issues, 14 June –
Attachment 12; „Students remember Tiananmen 2 years after massacre, leaflets urge mourning, letters‟ 1991,
Chicago Tribune, 30 May – Attachment 13; „“Ming Pao” looks at detention of students around 4 th anniversary‟
1993, BBC Monitoring Service: Asia Pacific, 23 June – Attachment 14.
8
Human Rights Watch 2004, China: Stifling the memory of Tiananmen,
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/03/china8732.htm - Accessed 22 February 2005 – Attachment 15; „Fifteenth
anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre‟ 2004, Reporters without Borders website, 4 June
http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=10509 - Accessed 13 February 2007 - Attachment 16.
Page 2 of 5
internment.9 Additionally, groups of activists and those seeking formal approval to
commemorate via petitions have been rounded up in some years, and either warned, asked to
sign letters of guarantee not to participate, or detained for periods ranging from several hours
to weeks, with in some cases this leading to formal arrest.10
Leaders of groups which seek to commemorate the events are treated more harshly. Hu
Shigen, a senior member of the “Beijing 15” group was detained in the 1990s for planning
memorial activities, and was later tried for “counter-revolutionary crimes” and sentenced to
20 years in prison.11
In the most recent lead up to the 20th anniversary on 4 June 2009, Chinese authorities
employed similar measures to those used previously to limit visible commemoration or
protest in relation to the Tiananmen events. Police detained known activist Chen Xi at an
airport, as he was about to travel to Beijing for a commemoration event. Xi was detained for
nine hours and placed under house arrest. House arrest was reportedly used against many
other dissidents in Beijing in the lead up to 4 June 2009, while others were forced to leave
Beijing during the period. Mothers of students who died in 1989 were also placed under
surveillance by the police to ensure they did not join memorial services.12 The Chinese
Human Rights Defenders organisation listed some sixty-five activists who were either taken
into police custody, or subject to other measures which include restrictions to their
movements, being forced to leave their homes, or otherwise threatened or monitored by police
in the lead up to the anniversary.13
5. Are there any reports of a Tiananmen Square activist group providing assistance to
others in the form of arranging travel documents to get an activist out of the country
and then providing ongoing financial support?
There were no reports found on a Tiananmen Square activist group, or other pro-democracy
group, providing assistance with travel documents for activists to exit China and/or providing
them with subsequent financial assistance while overseas.
6. Deleted.
Attachments
1. „Massacre in China – Chinese in Japan protest “Military Massacre‟ 1989, San Francisco
Chronicle, 6 June. (FACTIVA)
9
Amnesty International 2001, China: Tiananmen Square -- still on the agenda, 1 June, ASA 17/019/2001 News Service Nr. 93, http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170192001 - Accessed 15 July 2003 –
Attachment 17.
10
Immigration and Review Board of Canada 2000, CHN34922.E 2000 Subject: China: Treatment of persons
involved in, or suspected of involvement in, activities commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 1989
Tiananmen Square demonstrations (1999 to July 2000)2000/07/00e, 27 July – Attachment 18.
11
„China: Tiananmen 17 years on - the victims deserve justice‟ 2006, Amnesty International website
http://www.amnesty.ca/take_action/actions/china_tiananmen_2006.php - Accessed 8 February 2007 –
Attachment 19.
12
For these reports, see US State Department 2010, 2009 Human Rights Report: China (includes Tibet, Hong
Kong, and Macau), 11 March – Attachment 20; Amnesty International 2009, „China: Harassment of activists
escalates ahead of Tiananmen Anniversary‟, 3 June – Attachment 21.
13
Chinese Human Rights Defenders 2009, „Police Detain and Harass Activists on Eve of Tiananmen
Anniversary‟, 4 June http://crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200906/20090604135136_15718.html - Accessed
21 April 2010 – Attachment 22.
Page 3 of 5
2. “Two thousand Chinese hold Protest rally‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 4 June.
(FACTIVA)
3. „Chinese Students march, call for Japanese Sanctions (Demonstration in Japan)‟ 1989,
Japan Economic News wire, 9 June. (FACTIVA)
4. „Chinese student dissident leader leaves Japan‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 18
December. (FACTIVA)
5. „China warns Japan about dissident leader‟s visit‟ 1989, Japan Economic Newswire, 13
December. (FACTIVA)
6. O‟Neill, M. 1990, „Chinese students in Japan seek new country to call home‟, Reuters, 30
March. (FACTIVA)
7. Amnesty International 1993, Japan: Inadequate protection for refugees and asylum
seekers, March.
8. Jameson, S. 1995, „Court Rejects China Activist‟s Request for Asylum in Japan Exstudent Zhao Nan loses his longstanding appeal‟, Los Angeles Times, 10 March.
(FACTIVA)
9. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1989, JPN2206 – Japan 1) What are the
procedures for claiming refugee status in Japan; 2) What are the criteria used in making
the determination; 3) How many Chinese (PRC) students have applied for and have been
granted refugee status…1 October.
10. Zhoa, J., 2004 „The betrayal of democracy: Tiananmen‟s shadow over Japan‟, HAOL, 4,
pp.75-85.
11. Dean, M. 2006, Japan: Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Writenet, February, UNHCR
website http://www.unhcr.org/home/RSDCOI/43f4a4b94.pdf – Accessed 26 October
2007.
12. DFAT 1991, DFAT Cable SH6732: Shanghai second anniversary of 4 June and
associated issues, 14 June. (CISNET CHINA CX1605)
13. „Students remember Tiananmen 2 years after massacre, leaflets urge mourning, letters‟
1991, Chicago Tribune, 30 May. (FACTIVA)
14. „“Ming Pao” looks at detention of students around 4th anniversary‟ 1993, BBC
Monitoring Service: Asia Pacific, 23 June. (FACTIVA)
15. Human Rights Watch 2004, China: Stifling the memory of Tiananmen,
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/03/china8732.htm – Accessed 22 February 2005.
16. „Fifteenth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre‟ 2004, Reporters without
Borders website, 4 June http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=10509 – Accessed 13
February 2007.
17. Amnesty International 2001, China: Tiananmen Square -- still on the agenda, 1 June,
ASA 17/019/2001 – News Service Nr. 93,
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGASA170192001 – Accessed 15 July 2003.
Page 4 of 5
18. Immigration and Review Board of Canada 2000, CHN34922.E 2000 Subject: China:
Treatment of persons involved in, or suspected of involvement in, activities
commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations
(1999 to July 2000)2000/07/00e, 27 July. (CISNET REFINFO CHN34922.E).
19. „China: Tiananmen 17 years on – the victims deserve justice‟ 2006, Amnesty International
website http://www.amnesty.ca/take_action/actions/china_tiananmen_2006.php –
Accessed 8 February 2007.
20. For these reports, see US State Department 2010, 2009 Human Rights Report: China
(includes Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macau), 11 March.
21. Amnesty International 2009, „China: Harassment of activists escalates ahead of
Tiananmen Anniversary‟, 3 June.
22. Chinese Human Rights Defenders 2009, „Police Detain and Harass Activists on Eve of
Tiananmen Anniversary‟, 4 June http://crdnet.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200906/20090604135136_15718.html – Accessed 21 April
2010.
23. Deleted.
24. Deleted.
Page 5 of 5