By Eva Cheng
On July 2, the Consumers Union of Japan launched a consumer boycott campaign against Chinese products in an attempt to pressure Beijing against conducting more nuclear weapons tests.
Beijing's test planned for September is the immediate target of the campaign, which is part of a broader initiative led by the Washington-based International Campaign for Free Tibet (ICT).
CUJ has also called on the Japanese government to freeze official development aid to China until Beijing stops the tests. It asks supporters to write to the Japanese prime minister, Hashimoto Ryutaro, at 1-6-1, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100, Japan, to reinforce the point.
Apart from an opposition to nuclear weapons, these groups also have grave concern over the effect of Beijing's uranium mining, tests and other nuclear activities on the Tibetan and Uygur ethnic minorities. ICT says the 2 million people estimated to be living in the affected regions, namely Qinghai province, Tibetan Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, are exposed to exceptional risks. It claims evidence of radioactive contamination already taking place.
Beijing detonated a nuclear bomb on June 8, its 44th, notwithstanding worldwide condemnation.