Chinese cartoonist Wang Liming stays in Japan amid fears for safety
Satirical cartoonist decides not to return to China because of fears for his safety and crackdown on freedom of expression there
Prominent Chinese cartoonist Wang Liming has begun a new life in Japan out of fears for his safety and intensifying restrictions on freedom of expression at home.
Wang, 41, known as "Rebel Pepper," has gained prominence via social media since releasing sarcastic and critical works about Chinese politics online in 2009. He has about one million followers on Weibo.
His path to a new life in Japan began unexpectedly. During a trip to the country in May - his first journey outside China - he released some caricatures about the courtesy of Japanese and other favourable impressions of the country. But trouble started when his artworks were denounced by a website linked to the official .
The party mouthpiece posted a column criticising Wang as a pro-Japan traitor on August 18, and the column was carried by several other Chinese websites within a few hours.
He was ousted from social media networks, with his Weibo account becoming inaccessible, and he received a number of email threats that he would be killed if he returned to China. Wang said he gave up on returning to China within the past month.
"I thought I'd be detained at the airport and felt fear for my physical safety," Wang said. He added that he was also worried about the safety of his wife who was accompanying him.
