Several Japanese NGOs gathered signatures on Sunday for a petition opposing a visit to Tokyo by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Japanese government has plans to invite Xi on a state visit to Tokyo in April.
The NGOs also gathered signatures of people who oppose Chinese attempts to unify with Taiwan.
The two organizers of the event were the Taiwan Research Forum, founded by Japanese nationals, and the Taiwanese Association in Japan.
The Taiwan Research Forum says that Taiwan and Japan share common values and that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be regarded as an invasion of Japan. The organization declared that “Taiwan is not part of China and that Taiwan is Taiwan”.
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese Association in Japan said that welcoming Chinese leader Xi to Japan would be an insult to the Japanese people.
Several other NGOs are planning to hold a rally on March 8 in protest of a planned visit by Xi. Organizers are hoping for a turnout of about 10,000 people.