Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi speaks at a press conference on Nov. 24, 2021, in Tokyo. (Pool photo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Foreign Ministry will create a new post for a senior officer responsible for monitoring human rights abuses amid the growing awareness of the issue across the world, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday.

       Hayashi told a press conference his ministry has included in its budget request for fiscal 2022 starting in April the creation of a new position responsible for dealing with rights violation in its existing Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division.

       The creation of the new post comes as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is trying to keep in step with major democratic nations that are locked in an intensifying standoff with China over the alleged repression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang and the crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

       About two months ago, Kishida named former Defense Minister Gen Nakatani as his special adviser on international human rights issues.

       "Japan has been promoting human rights diplomacy, under which we have encouraged nations that are making efforts to protect human rights to make further progress on their own, and the importance (of such diplomacy) has been increasing amid mounting concern over issues of human rights infringement," Hayashi said.

       The foreign minister added that the government also needs to focus on human rights issues in economic activities in the private sector.

       The new post is also expected to be involved in policymaking regarding the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power in August.

       Europe and the United States have imposed sanctions on China over the Xinjiang issue while Tokyo has been more cautious in its response.

       Currently, Japan has no plans for new legislation to allow sanctions on foreign government officials accused of human rights violations similar to the Magnitsky Act in the United States. Britain, Canada and the European Union have already introduced a similar law.

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