After expressing its dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Association's invitation to the Hong Kong National Party convener Chen Haotian to give a speech at the luncheon, the Hong Kong SAR government refused entry to a Japanese local councilor who has close ties to the Hong Kong local faction the day before yesterday.
He once went to Hong Kong to support Au Nuoxuan to participate in the Legislative Council by-election
The member is Wada Kenichiro (35 years old), a member of Shirai City Council, Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo.He told the reporter of Lianhe Zaobao that he arrived at the Hong Kong airport at around 10:00 pm the day before yesterday (9th). After that, more than 10 Hong Kong immigration officers took him to a room and asked him the purpose of coming to Hong Kong, and then entered the country in Hong Kong.Section 11 of the regulations denied him entry, but no specific reason was given.
Kenichiro Wada guessed that his refusal to enter Hong Kong was related to the Hong Kong Legislative Council by-election in March this year.At that time, Au Nuoxuan, a local candidate representing the democratic faction who was sent to Hong Kong Island, held a rally. Kenichiro Wada came to Hong Kong from Japan to support Au Nuoxuan.Later, some pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong pointed out that Wada Kenichiro was an active right-wing anti-China element in Japanese politics and advocated Taiwan independence. He came to Hong Kong to support Hong Kong independence.
However, Wada Kenichiro denied that he supports Hong Kong independence, emphasizing that he only supports democracy and freedom.He said that this time he planned to stay in Hong Kong for three days, meet some Hong Kong friends, visit the Bruce Lee Memorial Exhibition Hall, and then go to Taipei.
He said: I have been to Hong Kong three times before, and I have no problem entering the country. I did not expect to be refused entry this time.The Hong Kong government's actions are completely unreasonable, reflecting that Hong Kong is increasingly deprived of freedom.
Wada Kenichiro pointed out that after being refused entry by the Hong Kong government, Taiwan's China Airlines, which he was flying on, arranged for him to change planes to Taipei.After he arrived at Taipei Airport, he immediately transferred to Japan and was going to seek assistance from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking Hong Kong and Beijing for an explanation.
In response, the Hong Kong Immigration Department stated that it does not comment on individual cases. When dealing with each entry case, it will make a decision to approve or refuse entry in accordance with the law and established immigration policies after considering the circumstances of individual cases.
Many local groups in Hong Kong have criticized the Hong Kong government for refusing to let Kenichiro Wada enter the country.Kenichiro Wada’s good friend and member of the Legislative Council Au Nok-hsuan believes that refusing entry to foreign politicians will damage one country, two systems, and is not what an international city should be.
Hong Kong All Will issued a statement pointing out that the Hong Kong government's refusal to allow people with different political opinions to enter the country violated the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Hong Kong has repeatedly denied entry to Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party legislators and social movement leaders in the past.In October last year, the Hong Kong government also refused entry to Benedict Rogers, vice chairman of the British Conservative Party Human Rights Committee, who had launched an action to support Huang Zhifeng and other Hong Kong student leaders, which once caused Sino-British diplomatic turmoil.However, it is uncertain whether this is the first time that the Hong Kong government has refused entry to a Japanese politician.
