Japan on Tuesday expressed its grave concern over Hong Kong's recent legislative election that was held despite an international outcry over controversial Beijing-led electoral changes.
Elections must be carried out fairly involving candidates representing "a wide range of political opinions," and Japan will continue to urge China to take concrete steps to address international concerns, Japanese government spokesman Seiji Kihara told a press briefing.
"We express our grave concern again about the fact that the Legislative Council election was held without addressing international concerns," Kihara, a deputy chief Cabinet secretary, said.
"It's important that a free and open system is maintained and Hong Kong can prosper in a democratic and stable manner. This is our consistent stance," Kihara said.
Pro-Beijing members swept the election on Sunday with just one non-establishment candidate winning.
China has been tightening its grip on Hong Kong in the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government protests, with the electoral changes aimed at ensuring only patriots govern the territory.
Following the return of the former British colony to Chinese control in 1997, Beijing guaranteed Hong Kong a "high degree of autonomy" under the principle of "one country, two systems."
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations issued a statement on Monday, expressing their grave concern over what they see as an erosion of democracy in Hong Kong.
"The Japanese government will carefully follow developments, such as the impact of the election outcome on Japanese companies and the economy," Kihara said.
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