Japan: Foreign Ministers from 38 Asian and European Countries Gather in Kyoto, Practitioners Call on Chinese Communist Regime to Stop the Persecution

From May 6 to 7, 2005, during the Seventh ASEM (Asia-Europe) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kyoto, Japan, practitioners called for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Foreign Ministers pass by Falun Gong practitioners holding banners

Asia and Europe represent about 400f the world's population, 500f the GDP, and 600f trade. The ASEM is the main dialogue between the two continents. It began in 1996, and includes summit meetings of foreign ministers, economic ministers and finance ministers. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers and other officials of the 38 ASEM nations and one organisation, a total of 13 countries from Asia (10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Japan, China and the R.O.K.; and 25 EU (European Union) member states and the European Commission. The meeting's purpose was to exchange views on dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe.

To help end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, practitioners in Japan called for attention of more people to the practitioners in China. On May 6 and 7, practitioners held anti-persecution activities. On the paths where foreign ministers passed by, practitioners held banners that read "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong," "Falun Dafa is Good," "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance," "Lawsuits against Jiang Zemin filed in 15 countries," and posters exposing the persecution. Many passers-by stopped to look and inquire. They felt the existence of such a persecution in the 21st century to be inconceivable. Many people came to know the facts after hearing practitioners' explanations and expressed support for the practitioners.