Media Advisory

1 December 2000

AI Index ASA 22/008/2000 - News Service Nr. 228

Amnesty International's Secretary General to visit Japan

An Amnesty International delegation led by Secretary General Pierre Sané will be in Tokyo 6-8 December to discuss human rights concerns in Japan and the Asia Pacific region with government officials, political parties, the business community, trade unions and non-government organizations.

Human rights concerns in Japan include the application of the death penalty, torture and ill-treatment in detention, including “Landing Prevention Facilities”, juvenile law revisions, and the "Daiyo Kangoku" or substitute prison system.

The delegation will also discuss the important role of Japan in the Asia Pacific region and the vital links between business, human rights and regional peace and stability.

The Secretary General will give a summary of the delegation’s findings from the mission at a press luncheon organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on 8 December.ྭ Following on from the launch of the Campaign Against Torture in Tokyo in October and ahead of Human Rights Day on December 10, the Secretary General will also launch a report on the torture of children worldwideྭ“Hidden Scandal, Secret Shame” at the press luncheon.

The International Secretariat delegation consists of: Secretary General Pierre Sané; Asia Pacific Program Director, Demelza Stubbings; Japan Researcher Rajiv Narayan, and Press Officer for Asia, Maya Catsanis.

For more information please contact Maya Catsanis on mobile phone +81 (0)909 825 9606, or Hideki Morihara (AI Japan) on +81 3 3203 1050. For information on human rights concerns in Japan please visit www.amnesty.org/library/japan

Press Luncheon:

"Human rights in Japan and Japan's role in human rights protection and promotion in Asia"

12:30-14:00 Friday, December 8, 2000

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ)

Yurakucho Denki North Building 20F,

1-7-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 JAPAN

Phone: +81-(0)3-3211-3161 Fax: +81-(0)3-3211-3168, E-mail: info@fccj.or.jp

Reservation: Those who wish to attend the luncheon must make reservation at the reception desk (+81-(0)3-3211-3161) or online at http://www.fccj.or.jp/events/professional.htm The charge is 3,000 yen per person (2,000 yen per person for FCCJ Working Press Members). Reservation cancelled less than 48 hours in advance will be charged in full.

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW web : http://www.amnesty.org