
Representative Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya addressing the gathering.
Tokyo: The Tibetan community in Japan organised the 65th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day in Tokyo on 10 March 2024. Many Japanese and representatives from Uyghur and Southern Mongolian communities also participated in the event.
An official function was held in the Tokyo Women Plaza conference hall. The Tibetan national anthem was sung followed by Tsedme Yonten, the word of truth. The gathering observed a minute’s silence to remember and pay respect to the martyrs in the Tibetan struggle for freedom and justice.
Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Representative of the Liaison Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama, welcomed and thanked the gathering for their show of support and participation in observing this important day in Tibetan history. He said Tibetans around the world are commemorating this day today to remember their brave fellow countrymen who had fought for Tibetan freedom and to remind the Chinese leadership that the Tibetans have not forgotten their country.
He read the Japanese translation of the Central Tibetan Administration’s statement and the copies of the statement were distributed among the gathering. Representative Dr. Arya took the opportunity to inform the gathering about Japan’s statement condemning China for human rights violations in Tibet, Uyghur, and Hongkong at the United Nations’ 4th Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last January. He thanked the Japanese government, members of the parliament, and the Japanese public for their support.
Tenzin Sherab, President of the Tibetan Community in Japan (TCJ); and Tsering Dorjee, Representative of the Students for Free Tibet (SFT) spoke on the worsening situation in Tibet and how China is now destroying the Tibetan language, religion, and culture through the establishment of colonial style boarding schools in Tibet.
Tibetans sang Longsho, a national uprising song, and the gathering left for a peace march with Tibetan national flags and placards. The peace march went through the busy Shibuya street with slogans like “Free Tibet, UNO we want justice, Stop damming in Tibet, etc. ranting in the air.
Later in the afternoon, the participants protested before the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, and a copy of the Central Tibetan Administration’s statement was posted in the embassy’s letter box.
It was noted that some Tibetans and Japanese supporters have come from distant prefectures like, Mie, Aichi, Ibaragi, Saitama, etc., and have said that as they could not participate in much of the events in Tokyo, they made sure to participate in this National Uprising Day.
In the evening, Representative Dr. Arya participated in the online gathering organised by the Tibetans in South Korea to observe the anniversary, pay respect to the martyrs, and rededicate themselves to the Tibetan struggle for freedom and justice in the homeland.
-Filed by the Office of Tibet, Japan and East Asia

A group photo of 10th March event in Tokyo.

Tibetans and Japanese protesting before the Chinese embassy.

10th March event at Tokyo Women’s Plaza hall.

Tibetans in South Korea attend virtual 10th March event.