Hiroshima, Japan: Over the Course of Ten Months to Rescue Yoko Kaneko (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) It has been ten months since Yoko Kaneko was illegally arrested in Beijing on May 24, 2002. During this period, vicious police persecuted her daily. We, Hiroshima Dafa practitioners, began rescue activities immediately after we heard the news of her illegal detention.

Regardless of whether it was windy, rainy, hot summer or cold winter, retired senior practitioners went to downtown Hiroshima almost every day to explain the facts of Falun Gong to the Japanese people and collect signatures. On Saturdays and Sundays, those practitioners who worked during weekdays and little practitioners joined the team. They held banners which read "Appeal from Sado: Rescue Yoko Kaneko! -- Hamachi Cho Support Committee." And they held Ms. Kaneko's large photo in front of their chest. They narrated Ms. Kaneko's suffering to pedestrians and collected signatures. Many local residents signed without hesitation and asked, "Why is she tortured so brutally for just distributing flyers?" They also encouraged the practitioners, "Please continue your efforts to help her return home early!" Among the passersby, there are some kind-hearted people who wanted to donate money to express their sincere attention to the matter. We declined and explained that Falun Gong does not accept donations and we were all volunteers.

One day, we were collecting signatures in one place where a candidate of the Democrat Party delivered a speech. After the speeches of four congress representatives, the audience came over. We handed over related literature to the 4 congress members and requested the members to offer their help to rescue Ms. Kaneko. The congress members said, "We have heard of the matter from the üeAssociation of Congress Members to Rescue Yoko Kaneko'. We will read the literature in detail after we return home. You all please put more effort!"

Two school-age little practitioners participated in the signature-collection activity with their parents in weekends and holidays. In the hot summer, passersby saw their tireless and innocent look, stopped to listen to their narration and signed their petitions.

Wherever there was festival in Hiroshima and surrounding areas, we took the opportunity to have a rescue activity. Generally at one day before the festivals, we distributed newspapers to each family in the area. On the festival day, visitors said on seeing our posters, "Oh, this is the poster we saw yesterday. The persecution is so cruel." Thus, many visitors came over to sign.

In addition to signature collection on streets, we also sent literature to the county assembly and media officials of Hiroshima County and surrounding counties, many of them signed right away and sent back the document.

Recently, Canadian Dafa practitioner Lin Shenli came to Japan to help rescue Yoko. We accompanied him and visited Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu. We mailed an appeal letter to the county governor beforehand and handed over our letter to the assembly speaker during this trip. We also held a press conference at each place. Officials and reporters listened to Mr. Lin's description of his personal experience of being brutally tortured in China. Those reporters who heard the torture for the first time paid special attention to the matter and interviewed Mr. Lin.

In addition, university student practitioners explained the facts of the persecution of Yoko to university professors and collected signatures. The professors signed right away and one of them made 100 copies of the signature collection form and sent it to his friends. Thus, through this professor, his friends working in media and government sent signed signature forms to us. These actions showed their attention to the matter and their righteous attitude. All these activities promoted the attention of Japanese people to the matter.

At this time, we urgently appeal to the Japanese Foreign Minister to talk with related Chinese officials on this matter during her visit to China on April 6, 2003 and strive for the release of innocent Yoko and her return to Japan early.

Address of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shiba Koen 2-11-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8519 Japan

Japanese Foreign Minister: Yoriko Kawaguchi

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