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Uighur Kadeer arrives in Tokyo | Uighur Kadeer arrives in Tokyo |
(40 minutes later) | |
Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer has arrived in Tokyo for a visit which has prompted an angry reaction from China. | Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer has arrived in Tokyo for a visit which has prompted an angry reaction from China. |
Mrs Kadeer is expected to use her five-day stay to drum up support for the minority group. | Mrs Kadeer is expected to use her five-day stay to drum up support for the minority group. |
Beijing holds that Mrs Kadeer was behind a recent outbreak of deadly ethnic unrest in Xinjiang province. | Beijing holds that Mrs Kadeer was behind a recent outbreak of deadly ethnic unrest in Xinjiang province. |
But Mrs Kadeer, once a businesswoman in China and now leader of the exile group the World Uighur Congress, has denied any involvement. | But Mrs Kadeer, once a businesswoman in China and now leader of the exile group the World Uighur Congress, has denied any involvement. |
Mrs Kadeer, wearing a traditional Uighur hat, waved to reporters as she arrived at the airport, but did not speak to them. | |
She was greeted by a small group of supporters carrying Uighur flags. | |
Her visit to Japan will include a news conference and meeting with members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. | Her visit to Japan will include a news conference and meeting with members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. |
But one supporter told the AFP news agency earlier the itinerary could chance according to events. | |
"We are a bit worried about ensuring her safety as she has been attacked by mobs in the past elsewhere," said the unnamed supporter. | |
'Culture threat' | |
The Uighurs say their culture is threatened by Han Chinese migration | |
Mrs Kadeer, who now lives in the US, was imprisoned in China for six years until 2005 on charges of endangering national security. | |
Beijing has accused her of organising the violent unrest in Xinjiang, in western China, earlier this month. | |
On Monday, Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai called her a criminal. | |
"How would the people of Japan feel if a violent crime occurs in Japan and its mastermind is invited by a third country?" Mr Cui was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency. | "How would the people of Japan feel if a violent crime occurs in Japan and its mastermind is invited by a third country?" Mr Cui was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency. |
He hinted that the visit could harm relations between China and Japan. | He hinted that the visit could harm relations between China and Japan. |
"We must prevent important matters that should be worked on together from being disturbed by a criminal or attention to our common interests from being diverted," he said. | "We must prevent important matters that should be worked on together from being disturbed by a criminal or attention to our common interests from being diverted," he said. |
Nearly 200 people - mostly Han Chinese - died in the clashes with Uighurs in Xinjiang, according to Chinese officials. Uighur exiles say hundreds of Uighurs were killed. | |
The unrest began on 5 July during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two people were killed. | The unrest began on 5 July during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two people were killed. |
China's Uighurs are concentrated in Xinjiang but complain their rights and culture are being overridden by an influx of Han migrants from outside the region. | China's Uighurs are concentrated in Xinjiang but complain their rights and culture are being overridden by an influx of Han migrants from outside the region. |