Japanese Media Reports on Activities of the National Tour to Rescue Kaneko Yoko

(Clearwisdom.net)

Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun recently reported on a rescue appeal conducted by members of the Kaneko Yoko Rescue Committee. They appealed for 38-year-old Ms. Kaneko Yoko, who lived in Niigata County, Japan, and is imprisoned in a Chinese labor camp. In Japan, members of the Kaneko Yoko Rescue Committee who toured across the country visited the Shimane County Office and the Matsue City Labor Department, and requested the local government's sympathy and help.

According to rescue committee members, Kaneko Yoko, who was born in China, traveled back to China in May of last year. She was arrested while distributing Falun Gong truth-clarification materials in Beijing. Two Japanese citizens traveling with her were forcibly deported. Only Chinese citizen Ms. Kaneko Yoko was imprisoned, and is now not even allowed to have visitors. Members of the Rescue Committee collected signatures in front of the Matsue Bus Station on the day of their visit to Kaneko Yoko's local government. The Kaneko Yoko Rescue Committee activities in Shimane County will continue until July 10.

The Chunichi reported on July 5 about Ms. Kaneko Yoko (who was born in China, with the Chinese name of Lu Rong), a 38-year-old practitioner of a qigong group called Falun Gong, who was arrested by Chinese officials. Her supporters held activities to collect signatures in Kanazawa. Ms. Kaneko Yoko married a Japanese citizen and lived in Niigata County. She began practicing Falun Gong six years ago. The Chinese government defamed Falun Gong and began persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Ms. Kaneko Yoko went to China temporarily in May of last year. Because of distributing flyers in Beijing that condemn the persecution, she was detained. The last time her husband was allowed to visit her was August of 2002. However, even he is unaware of whether Ms. Kaneko Yoko is still alive or not.

The signature collecting activities were sponsored by the "Kaneko Yoko Rescue Committee." These activities began across the country in August 2002. The goal is to submit all the collected signatures to the foreign affairs department, and request that the government treat this as a diplomatic issue.

Today, its committee members distributed flyers that reported the situation in detail and appealed to them for support. According to the plan, similar activities will be held in Fushan on July 5 and in Niigata on July 6. One committee member said: "What Kaneko Yoko is met with is a total infringement upon her human rights. Through this activity we're trying to raise awareness of her plight to more people, with hopes that the Japanese media will pay more attention to this issue."

2003-7-12

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