Japanese House of Councillors member Hei Seki, who is of Chinese descent, recently unleashed a scathing critique of Chinese leader Xi Jinping on his program, sparking widespread attention online. Netizens praised his comments, saying: “He hit the nail on the head!” and “He said what Chinese people want to say but cannot.”
Hei Seki bluntly stated that Xi is widely disliked within China, remarking: “Xi has ruled China for 13 years, maintaining his position as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party… firmly controlling the fate of the country.”
He criticized Xi’s habit of directing every industry, calling it absurd, and even mocked Xi’s attempts to instruct the United Nations, saying the Chinese leader shows “not a shred of self-awareness.”
Hei Seki ridiculed Xi’s intellectual output, claiming it amounts to “elementary school-level thinking,” yet Xi has created a series of so-called ideological doctrines, such as “Xi Jinping Economic Thought,” “Xi Jinping Cultural Thought,” and “Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought.” Local officials, Hei Seki said, treat these ideas with near-religious reverence.
He expressed outrage that his alma mater, Peking University, established a Xi Jinping Thought Research Center, calling it “an eternal shame for the university” and “laughable to outsiders.”
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Online reactions echoed Hei Seki’s condemnation. One commenter wrote: “Xi’s leadership is regressive. He has set up nearly 100 leadership groups, intervening in State Council economic policies. As head of state, he lavishly spends public funds abroad, while foreign leaders earn for their citizens. In the military, he appoints and arrests simultaneously, purging multiple vice chairmen and theater commanders repeatedly.”
Others added: “It’s not that Chinese people idolize Xi; it’s that small-time opportunists admire big-time villains. They reflexively despise good people, just as good people reflexively despise villains.”
Netizens applauded Hei Seki: “Right on target! The little ‘red’ fans are triggered.” “Exactly what needed to be said.” “We need more lawmakers like Hei Seki.” “As long as the CCP exists, no one in China will truly enjoy freedom, democracy, or human rights; it’s just a matter of how tightly those in power control the country.”
The clip has gone viral, highlighting the rare public criticism of Xi from a foreign political figure and resonating with audiences both inside and outside China.
Reports indicate that Japanese House of Councillors member Hei Seki, known for his staunch anti-Communist positions, has become the first postwar Japanese lawmaker of Chinese descent to be sanctioned by the Chinese government. The sanctions include asset freezes, bans on commercial transactions, and restrictions on entry into China.
On Sept. 8, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing Hei Seki of spreading “falsehoods” on Taiwan, the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, historical issues, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. The statement claimed these actions “seriously violate the ‘One China’ principle, interfere in China’s internal affairs, and undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” In response, Beijing announced it would freeze Hei Seki’s movable and immovable assets in China, ban Chinese organizations and individuals from conducting any transactions or cooperation with him, and restrict his and his immediate family members’ entry to China, including Hong Kong and Macau.
Hei Seki told Sankei News that he is “completely unaffected,” noting that he has not visited China for over a decade and has no assets there. He described the sanctions as a “honor,” asserting they demonstrate that his political activities in Japan were correct and impactful. He speculated that China fears his potential criticisms as a sitting senator, using the sanctions as a form of intimidation.
Born in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Jan. 31, 1962, Hei Seki studied in Japan in 1988. The Tiananmen Square crackdown prompted him to sever ties with China, and he became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 2007.
Over the years, Hei Seki has been active as a writer and political commentator. In July 2025, he was elected to the House of Councillors as a representative of the Japan Innovation Party. During his campaign, he emphasized defending Japan, revising the constitution, reviewing Japan-China relations, tightening naturalization rules, and controlling immigration.
Political analyst Sachiko Masuo commented that China’s sanctions against Hei Seki effectively signal a new willingness to impose political measures on foreign individuals: “Japanese researchers like us may also become targets in the future.”
By Cai Siyun.
