Uyghur forced labor affects Japanese companies

In July, the U.S. government intensified the Chinese authorities’ protest against the Uyghur oppression, and took economic sanctions in July, stating that 11 new Chinese companies had been using forced labor by Uyghur. At the same time, an American-based private-sector human rights advocacy group called on companies around the world not to use Uyghur forced labor in China’s internal supply chains.

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Such international criticisms of Uyghur have been traced to 11 Japanese companies operating in China, and the Uyghur human rights issue has become a major issue for activities in China for the Japanese business community. It seems On July 20, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced sanctions against 11 specific Chinese companies from buying American technology and products, in the name of Wilbur Ross.

The reason was attributed to the fact that these Chinese companies used forced labor of Uyghur for production activities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, or elsewhere in Chinese territory. On July 23, the Coalition to End Forced Labor in the Uyghur Region, an international human rights advocacy organization based in Washington and New York, was established in China through a total of 180 national affiliates. He appealed against the use of Uyghur workers who were forced to work in companies that undertake or subcontract production activities.

The alliance is especially focused on Nike, a major U.S. company that purchases products from Chinese companies that use forced labor.And issued a strong warning to Apple. Behind this move is the fact that Chinese authorities have quarantined Muslim Uyghur living in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region for more than a few years in a concentration camp that educates them about politics and religion to Chineseize.

Chinese authorities have detained a total of one to two million Uyghur, and many have also engaged in forced labor production activities. According to recent information from the U.S., Chinese officials have sent Uyghur Youth, who have completed political brainwashing education, to companies and factories in other regions of China to work, bringing the number to about 80,000. It has been reached. What companies in China around 80,000 Uyghur men and women are forced to work in is about the most important think tank in Australia’s security field ” Australia Strategic Policy InstituteThe survey report prepared by (ASPI) in March 2020 is the most detailed and accurate source.

The report was titled “Uyghurs for Sale,’Re-education’, forced labor and surveillance beyond Xinjiang.” In addition to direct information from the site, this report reports the actual situation of forced detention and labor in the Xinjiang Uygur area through a large number of photographs of reconnaissance satellites, and from 2017 to 19 The actual situation of about 80,000 Uyghur men and women who were sent to other areas of Chinese territory and compelled to carry out forced labor was also reported with the names and locations of concrete factories and companies.

The aforementioned “Uyghur Region Forced Labor Termination Union” also issued protests and questions to certain companies such as Nike and Apple based on this ASPI report. Of particular note in the content of this report was the fact that 82 companies were named as major companies using forced labor of Uyghur in subcontracting supply chains in various parts of China. The report concludes that the 82 companies “directly or indirectly benefit from the forced labor of Uyghur by their production activities outside the Xinjiang Uyghur area,” and subcontract their companies to Uyghur forced labor. He explained by giving the concrete name of the Chinese company.

The names of the following 11 Japanese companies were also listed among these foreign companies. Hitachi, Japan Display, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsumi Electric, Nintendo, Panasonic, Sony, TDK, Toshiba, UniqloRegarding the survey results of the above reports, “Japan Uygur Association”, a gathering of Uyghur living in Japan, sent a letter to the presidents of the above 11 Japanese companies in May and asked about this “Suspicion”. I communicated my request. By July, 10 of the 11 companies had responded, but most of them responded that “Tthere is no such fact according to our survey.”

In addition, they all answered that they had never used a company in the supply chain such as subcontracting parts manufacturing while knowing forced labor. However, international criticism of forced labor by Uyghur in China is certain to continue severely, and Japanese companies are facing a new phase in which corporate ethics in production activities in China are internationally questioned. It seems that we will be greeted.