TOKYO DECLARATION
9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet
2-4 June 2025, Tokyo, Japan
Whereas:
We, the delegation/delegates to the 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet met in Tokyo, Japan from 2-4 June 2025 and have made the following statement to be known as the Tokyo Declaration on Tibet:
Pleased to note that since the 8th WPCT Washington, DC and as per the Washington declaration, parliamentarians from several countries visited His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the seat of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamshala and interacted with the exile leadership;
Commend the growing number of support groups across the globe since 8th WPCT, Washington, DC;
Express deep appreciation for the initiative of the Japanese Parliamentarians’ Support Group for Tibet, the world’s largest parliamentary support group for Tibet, for co-hosting the 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet, Tokyo;
Welcome the passage of resolutions/motions in support of Tibet, from across the globe since the 8th WPCT, in the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, The European Parliament, The Netherlands and Australia;
Pleased to note that the members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, led by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker had advocated for Tibet across India and in European countries;
Recognise and reaffirm that Tibet was historically an independent nation, prior to the forceful invasion and occupation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since 1950;
Maintain that notwithstanding the PRC’s continuous repression and violation of human rights in Tibet and that the Tibetan people continue to strive for the restoration of their rights and freedom;
Urge the PRC to re-engage in substantive dialogue with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or democratically elected Tibetan leaders without preconditions, to resolve the Tibet-China conflict through the Middle Way Policy;
Condemn the continued violation of human rights by the PRC in Tibet, including forced assimilation to destroy Tibetan identity and imposition of colonial-style boarding schools;
Denounce the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism that is destroying the foundation of the Tibetan people’s culture and way of life;
Alarmed by the escalating transnational repression carried out by the PRC against Tibetans in free world, including surveillance, intimidation and interference in diaspora community, for instance the suspicious death of Tulku Hungkar Dorjee Rinpoche in Vietnam under custody;
Call for the release of the 11th Panchen Lama and all Tibetan political prisoners held in PRC prisons for exercising their religious freedom, freedom of speech and assembly, and for wanting to live their lives as Tibetans;
Urge governments to extend moral and material support for the Tibetan people in their non-violent struggle to regain their freedom and the preservation of their cultural heritage and support the CTA on this, through policy and programs to empower the Tibetan people, in Tibet and in exile;
Strongly believe that the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lama is not only essential to Tibetans, followers of Tibetan Buddhism, but also to the broader international community who yearn for living a life of peace and freedom;
Affirm that the Tibetan Buddhist practice of identifying and recognizing the reincarnation is a purely a religious matter that should not be subject to external political interference by the government of the PRC;
Recognize that Tibet, often referred to as the Third Pole, is home to the largest reserve of fresh water outside the Arctic and Antarctic, feeding the major rivers of Asia, and given its fragile ecological sphere, needs to be protected;
Recognise the Tibet plateau’s critical role in regulating the global climate system, preserving biodiversity, and sustaining fragile high- altitude ecosystems;
Commit to raising global awareness about the environmental significance of Tibet and the rights of its people, and to advocate for the inclusion of Tibetan voices in climate and environmental policy forums;
Encourage all parliamentarians to initiate further legislation in support of Tibet, including to reject the false narratives propagated by the PRC, which claims that Tibet has been a part of China since the ancient times, to attempt to justify their invasion and current occupation of Tibet;
Support Tibet’s historical status and right to self- determination;
Reject the efforts to rename Tibet as Xizang by the PRC;
Call for collaboration with like-minded parliamentary groups, including the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and other interparliamentary organizations and bodies;
Commit to strengthen collaboration among parliamentarians and with the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile to have coordinated initiatives on Tibet. The International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT) is activated to be the coordinating body for this.
Adopted unanimously this day of 4th June 2025 by the 9ᵗʰ World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet at International Conference Hall of Parliament Building, Tokyo, Japan.
