Japan: Activities Calling for an End to the Six-year Persecution

Six years have passed since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) headed by former president Jiang Zemin started the persecution against Falun Gong on July 20 1999, and the persecution is still ongoing. Practitioners around the world hold various events to protest the persecution on this day every year, to further expose the truth of the brutal persecution in China and to call for help to end it. On July 18, 2005, Japanese practitioners gathered in Tokyo to hold various activities, including a press conference and a peaceful parade, to once again call for an end to the persecution.

Group practice

After group practise of the Falun Gong exercises in the morning, at noontime on July 18, practitioners held a press conference at a park in Tokyo. A spokesman for the practitioners said, "Six years ago, the Chinese authority started to persecute innocent Falun Gong practitioners, who were then illegally arrested, detained, sentenced to forced labour camps or prisons, and tortured... Today is the 6th anniversary of the persecution. The purpose of our activities is to let people know that the persecution is still ongoing in China and to ask all people to please help us end it."

Practitioners speak out at the press conference

At the press conference, Mr. Tsuruzono Masaaki told the press: "We want to tell you that the persecution is still ongoing in China though the evil force is not as rampant as before due to our persistent efforts and international help. To date, 2,702 practitioners have been persecuted to death. The Japanese Falun Dafa Association filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin this past April and the lawsuit is in progress.

"Though we have sued Jiang and have held many public activities to raise awareness of the persecution, Falun Gong has no interest in politics and will never get involved in politics. Falun Gong is not concerned with religion, either. We just want to live according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in order to be upstanding and healthy people. Through our activities, we hope that the Japanese public and officials in the Chinese Embassy will learn more about the truth of Falun Gong."

A practitioner who is the director of Rescue Family Members of Practitioners Persecuted In China also gave a speech at the rally. He emphasised that Mainland practitioners are still subject to all kinds of physical and mental torture. "For the past six years, Chinese practitioners in Japan can't go back to China to visit their loved ones; and relatives of ours are being persecuted in China for their belief in Falun Gong. We have lost contact with some of them. I hereby call upon people from all circles: please help us to rescue the practitioners persecuted in China and end the persecution."

A representative from the Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice said: "Jiang has been sued in 16 countries for torture, genocide and crimes against humanity. The crimes committed by Jiang are against innocent practitioners. With help from every kind-hearted person, we hope that we can bring Jiang and his accomplices to justice soon."

Starting at 2 p.m., more than 140 practitioners held a peaceful parade in downtown Tokyo. The parade was led by practitioners carrying banners reading, "Falun Dafa is Good," "Falun Dafa is a Righteous Way" and "Falun Dafa Spreads Worldwide." Then came women practitioners in white holding photos of practitioners killed during the persecution. Practitioners also displayed photos of torture evidence and many other banners such as, "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice" and "Immediately End the Persecution of Falun Gong."

Practitioners parade in downtown Tokyo

This reporter noticed that most passersby were attracted by this special procession in the baking sun. Many people quietly read the photos and banners displayed by practitioners. Some took pictures with their cameras, and some Western tourists videotaped the parade. There were also people who used their cell phones to take pictures. Those who received Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials often read them carefully. One older gentleman was so intently reading a flier that he didn't even notice that a reporter was taking a picture of him.

Among the parade participants, there were old practitioners in their 60s and 70s and also young mothers with infants. When asked why she would participate in this parade in such hot weather, a young mother who was rolling a twin stroller along in the parade said, "Falun Gong is being persecuted in China, and the CCP has added my name to their blacklist because of my belief in Falun Gong. I gave birth to two babies recently and I really want to take them back to China to see my parents. However, I cannot. I hope that all Japanese citizens and people around the world will come to know about this persecution and thus help us end it so that I can return my homeland."

Mr. Yang, a PhD, just came to Japan recently. He was a middle-ranking officer in the Army. He was forced to quit the army because of his belief in Falun Gong. As the persecution continued and escalated, he was forced to leave his home to avoid being arrested. When he went to appeal for Falun Gong, he was arrested and tortured brutally. Mr. Yang said: "My wife and I are so happy to be able to live a free life now in Japan, and we are delighted to be able to participate in activities of this kind. We experienced and witnessed the brutal persecution, and thus we want to tell people the truth and call for support to end it as soon as possible."

Ms. Fan, although seven months pregnant, nonetheless finished the parade carrying a poster. She had been illegally detained in a forced labour camp in China, forced to do slave labour and was subjected to sexual abuse. She said, "My heart is crying today; people in Japan can't imagine the harsh situation of practitioners in China. I hope that all kind-hearted people will help us end this persecution as soon as possible."

In the evening, practitioners continued their activities by holding a peaceful appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy.