Japan Uyghur Association Holds Large-Scale Rally in Tokyo, Calling for International Attention to Human Rights and Deepened Multilateral Cooperation

Introduction: Echoes of Muslim Brotherhood on the Streets of Tokyo

On February 25, 2026, on a cold but hopeful spring day, the streets of Tokyo witnessed a stirring rally for justice. Organized by the **Japan Uyghur Association (JUA)**, this large-scale demonstration took place in the heart of Tokyo. Thousands of Uyghurs living in Japan, Japanese politicians, human rights activists, and Muslim representatives from around the world gathered to send a clear and firm signal: the oppression of Muslim brothers and sisters in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) must stop, and the international community—especially the global Muslim community (Ummah)—must not remain silent in the face of injustice [Source](https://uyghur-j.org/japan/).

This rally served not only as a summary of the human rights situation over the past few years but also as a deep mobilization for future multilateral cooperation. In Islamic values, "Justice (Adl)" is the core of faith, and "Opposing Oppression (Zulm)" is an inescapable responsibility for every believer. **Afumetto Retepu**, Chairman of the Japan Uyghur Association, emphasized in his speech that this struggle is not only about the survival of a people but also about the bottom line of human conscience and freedom of belief [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFqsCb-j4LkfzQ65G-GMoFLLoM0CNkjP8Ddd1YYlITENxX0Hk0ss998_5ZY4rdXgHQFc8JWBbzjwz1LeHn2fUao6nyH9NiP1Bs1qrp8YjicbkeOmW3fshGSnDnAQGbuQ5qwBoFHhNjlnA==).

I. A Trial of Faith: The Systemic Erasure of Islamic Identity

From a Muslim perspective, East Turkestan is experiencing the most severe crisis of faith in modern times. Evidence presented at the rally showed that local mosques have been demolished or repurposed, fasting during Ramadan is treated as a sign of "extremism," and even giving children Islamic names is restricted [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGkf-mwtFslFWnKYQz5mQm0ZfPxlUdJPE36Jxl2Vy7NxT5uBSj_WFiEyQas1z0y6acRKoS0uetCi0-Jc3wKAc-efIehR37ER9wL7pcra5RYhz1AQuLvhrmOmgt3-QNPFhf-cUP8l2qAoJ1JkUKQgZ86PA6ST1KI60XN9msl1OOLkUtr9vcw9s3FOJIp2ih5Ov32QSdwv52yTtityG45K_beO9SnEVBSA5PU). Such actions are not only violations of basic human rights but also a blatant desecration of the sacred faith of Muslims worldwide.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) pointed out in its 2022 report that serious human rights violations in the region may constitute "crimes against humanity" [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEJIAi3oAAb-d2YUcQTZ1NcVV26S4XM-LOtu06ZK6IlATzCa6SOAXtQy5FykZj4DcD_lgJc7tPT2IY8YifS2z2k8lWQHRoz9kW5-k0aPievUCaOgq1HrTPS6YJvIUECIhsiIAHIYKz6x3_o7HeThb7h1bvyF6ux-btVC6fD5XH4kgINwKupxc991880y0Ocn-4CYQKepvQ9PfnaWE4M85UVccPb0NjwmGwoq25ky3VgiunnzFmVq7B2OgPa4t3pu0piQE_PC8vgSJv0-qfXXVdOVctav_N4HVLARYe1QcCMoZmukrU-dWzy5LoutSfUgj650FBFaDOmCLmn0NQwDw5s7-xDBsl9LeDNuUZKXphnThzyu3bAAo56UajltBbXEP3A). For Muslims globally, the suffering of their Uyghur brothers and sisters is a wound on the body of the entire Ummah. As Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body; when one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever." Participants at the Tokyo rally expressed this spiritual connection across borders through the recitation of Quranic verses and prayers.

II. Japan’s Legislative Awakening: From "Due Diligence" to "Mandatory Bans"

A core objective of this rally was to urge the Japanese government to promptly introduce a **Japanese version of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)**. For a long time, the role of Japanese companies in Xinjiang supply chains has been controversial. Although the Japanese government issued non-binding "Human Rights Due Diligence" guidelines in 2022, activists argue this is far from enough [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFqsCb-j4LkfzQ65G-GMoFLLoM0CNkjP8Ddd1YYlITENxX0Hk0ss998_5ZY4rdXgHQFc8JWBbzjwz1LeHn2fUao6nyH9NiP1Bs1qrp8YjicbkeOmW3fshGSnDnAQGbuQ5qwBoFHhNjlnA==).

During political discussions in late 2025 and early 2026, **Keiji Furuya**, chairman of the cross-party "Japan Parliamentary Alliance for Uyghurs," repeatedly stated that Japan must adopt a tough stance aligned with the US and Europe to prevent the Japanese market from becoming a "safe haven" for products made with forced labor [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEMyQWSIHPRG5gFIaw50DGTsQh81uhYYEb-fDQjtUdrgQyghCck8-L5hEX2SXNPW-CEvVCBMVmKBy2PzfVx0NF5PMq2RDmqGHM2XILfNqgqNfRGASS7YNotmjnibyZHtz9mB9BjGG3dKxMmhdH3NMq95-uUscN6CTavoZqK0UGL8rWxl93qbG94C0dnPiH_kSlUjWTEQ_gnX71Bvqnmk-d17QJPpf2ENJEMRYDZ). At the rally, several members of the Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties appeared in support, emphasizing the urgency of passing relevant legislation during the 2026 Diet session. From a Muslim ethical standpoint, consumption and trade must be built on integrity (Halal) and justice; any profit built on the exploitation and enslavement of fellow human beings is morally unacceptable [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGkf-mwtFslFWnKYQz5mQm0ZfPxlUdJPE36Jxl2Vy7NxT5uBSj_WFiEyQas1z0y6acRKoS0uetCi0-Jc3wKAc-efIehR37ER9wL7pcra5RYhz1AQuLvhrmOmgt3-QNPFhf-cUP8l2qAoJ1JkUKQgZ86PA6ST1KI60XN9msl1OOLkUtr9vcw9s3FOJIp2ih5Ov32QSdwv52yTtityG45K_beO9SnEVBSA5PU).

III. The Responsibility of the Ummah: Breaking Geopolitical Silence

During the rally, many speakers criticized the silence of some governments in Muslim-majority countries. Due to economic dependence and geopolitical considerations, some member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have been hesitant on the Uyghur issue, or have even endorsed the oppressors in international forums. This departure from religious principles faced severe moral questioning at the Tokyo rally.

"We call upon the leaders of the Islamic world: do not abandon your brothers and sisters for fleeting worldly interests," a young Uyghur student said in a tearful speech. The rally called for deepening multilateral cooperation, not only with Western democratic nations but also through the awakening and unification of global Muslim civil society. By speaking out in Japan—a key democratic window in Asia—the Japan Uyghur Association is attempting to build a bridge between Western human rights discourse and Eastern Islamic concepts of justice [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGWa_omfLOXzj4Rz8QBieZJBWu0i1nltKwkqyldk6d2SAtTVKLDuDGPlcYew3wXOXi29Adt6VMx8Fm768POFhjXfhhv7ezHx5YFll3tttZ3A36kwlQGvP53Q8Cu-AQWIszKc_TZ2ZeUEdVKw-xII-CEuZJhq3wOLi8nZaQ=).

IV. Transnational Repression and Refugee Protection: Safety Challenges for Uyghurs in Japan

The rally also focused on the growing problem of "transnational repression." Many Uyghurs in Japan reported receiving threatening phone calls from security departments in their homeland, demanding they cease their activism or monitor their compatriots [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGOP9VAnj2l5MISnKKbrpllbGPzQoRqiY8bsGPtZ28RSMSMkdvC-TNm69VG5lVYVfHp-VDy4ZUIdoabN4OP2uNxfV8rnmVy55IG71-SAZ1dtBvyDurxgk-DAbcPP6FxTqkyDWwqalC64_cJt1jPr_jiiVchdykvjiPIbUD5_7A8eqHd-tIGi7OBjrFGGrJOQU3omZQ=). This extension of fear makes the Tokyo rally not just a political appeal, but a struggle for "freedom from fear."

The Japanese government's strict refugee recognition policy was also a point of discussion. Although Japan has eased residency permits for Uyghurs in recent years, the number of people officially granted refugee status remains very low [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQF0bGn8NxJR001PonjXowF8IbR0WS9Ojkiby9eYmZL49stBQN0ZtCWK5xZwofYuvNVEwRl6lO8BDg-gyAYLmEdyaibeSSlXU7DasVfwqy4Pzuhdn0PFcBHZpHjvdPUTOu2z9o7MnWSX74c=). The rally urged the Japanese government to establish better protection mechanisms, fulfill international human rights obligations, and provide a true safe haven for Muslims displaced due to their faith and ethnic identity.

V. Looking Ahead: Multilateral Cooperation and Sustained Focus

The rally concluded with the adoption of the "Tokyo Declaration," which proposed three core demands: 1. **Mandatory Legislation**: Requiring the Japanese Diet to immediately pass trade bans against forced labor to cut off the economic chains of oppression [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEMyQWSIHPRG5gFIaw50DGTsQh81uhYYEb-fDQjtUdrgQyghCck8-L5hEX2SXNPW-CEvVCBMVmKBy2PzfVx0NF5PMq2RDmqGHM2XILfNqgqNfRGASS7YNotmjnibyZHtz9mB9BjGG3dKxMmhdH3NMq95-uUscN6CTavoZqK0UGL8rWxl93qbG94C0dnPiH_kSlUjWTEQ_gnX71Bvqnmk-d17QJPpf2ENJEMRYDZ). 2. **Multilateral Diplomacy**: Calling on Japan to use its G7 membership to maintain pressure on the human rights situation at the UN and other international venues, and to encourage more Asian and Islamic nations to join the cause of justice [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGoXhkPchUUQzqNOxSkUyKZl9KlXHmYrs6cSwuVhpATYy7iCoEP0UmB543wNDOJomBj9sXPomirkfex6Qy3NfeCG9JY_nLofgFItNLJ7MF2Bg1rScmaO-S3zA8WRpHBNXhOOtmg50WiDfuUb9CiVuT02j6k11qXJUzhwE0_FcW0wDI3kmx4UIGGWt-T9FO3Ld3qi69A5W8=). 3. **Cultural and Faith Protection**: Supporting the Uyghur community in preserving its language, religion, and cultural heritage abroad to prevent the success of cultural genocide attempts [Source](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHqkMhpICNXpzXIAOLB2yxhdXqMc039J_FFsUcFGzB-7udKupunHNOVV8FwusZ6661-Fwflo-4CnWPRF8a3_txAzyAk4ju_nbDaAsoBc83HtZ12LSKNfJnDKzXQTFks0F5M-z8K4AVT-5fX-T2VnwY7w-R5Qu50BdC5HjfqfpEx).

Conclusion: Justice Will Prevail

For Muslims worldwide, this rally in Tokyo was not just a political mobilization, but a spiritual awakening. It reminds us that no matter where we are, pursuing justice and protecting the vulnerable is a sacred mission bestowed upon us by our faith. The persistence of the Japan Uyghur Association proves that even in the darkest moments, as long as the hearts of the Ummah beat together, the flame of justice will not be extinguished. We pray that Allah grants strength to the oppressed and guides the international community toward the path of justice and peace. Amin.