加藤官房長官、ウイグル問題「懸念し注視」

　加藤勝信官房長官は２０日の記者会見で、米国が中国政府によるウイグル族迫害を「ジェノサイド（集団虐殺）」と認定したことに関し、「新疆ウイグル自治区における人権状況を懸念を持って注視している。中国側にしっかりと伝えていきたい」と述べた。ウイグル族の強制労働で生産された製品の輸入禁止についても問われたが、加藤氏は回答を避けた。（2021/01/20-12:32）

Japan's top government spokesman on Wednesday expressed Tokyo's concern over the situation surrounding ethnic Uighurs in China.
   "We are closely watching with concern the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference, adding that the Japanese government will firmly convey its stance on the matter to China.
   Kato made the remarks after outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Tuesday that China has committed "genocide" against Muslim Uighurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in the region. Pompeo also said, "I believe this genocide is ongoing."
   Meanwhile, Kato refrained from commenting on the possibility of Japan banning imports of goods produced with forced labor of Uighurs.
   Elsewhere in the press conference, Kato avoided making specific comments on South Korean President Moon Jae-in's nomination on Wednesday of Chung Eui-yong, former national security chief of the neighboring country, as foreign minister to replace Kang Kyung-wha. "It's a personnel matter in the government of another country," he said.