China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it has imposed “countermeasures” against Japan’s upper house lawmaker Seki Hei, also known by his Chinese name Shi Ping, accusing him of making repeated “fallacies” on sensitive issues including Taiwan, the Diaoyu Islands, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
According to the ministry’s statement, the measures include:
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Freezing any assets held by Seki Hei in China.
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Banning Chinese organizations and individuals from engaging in transactions, cooperation, or other dealings with him.
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Visa bans preventing Seki Hei and his immediate family from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau.
Beijing accused the lawmaker of “seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs” and violating the 1972 China-Japan joint statement, while also alleging that his remarks undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Seki Hei, who secured a seat in Japan’s upper house election in July as a candidate for the Japan Innovation Party, campaigned on themes of China policy, immigration and national sovereignty.
Responding to the sanctions, Seki wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he had “no assets in China or any intention of going there either,” dismissing Beijing’s move as “nothing but a mere farce.”
