Photo/Illutration Police stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong on Nov. 20. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

When did I meet Au Nok-hin?

According to my notebook, it was four years ago, in December 2020.

A Honk Kong native, he was only 33 years old then and had just started living in Japan as a doctoral program student at the University of Tokyo.

I met him in a little Western-style diner in Tokyo, where our mutual friends were having a get-together.

Having been told that Au had become a pro-democracy member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council at a young age, I imagined him to be a shrewd politician. But I was wrong. He was anything but glib and came across much more as a scholarly researcher.

When the gathering ended, Au and I happened to be going in the same direction, so we rode the subway together.

It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there were few passengers. We sat comfortably and chatted. And after we both laughed out loud over some joke, Au mumbled that he would soon be returning to Hong Kong for a while because of a trial he was involved in.

Since he could be arrested if he went home, I asked him if remaining in Japan wasn’t an option.

He replied, “I’m going back because I’d be causing trouble for everyone (if I didn’t).”

I still remember his grave, somber face. He must have made this tough decision after thinking about his family and colleagues.

Hong Kong’s High Court on Nov. 19 found 45 pro-democracy defendants guilty of the inane charge of “attempting to overturn the government” by holding a primary election, and sentenced them to prison—some for as long as 10 years.

Au was among the 45, and he was given six years and nine months.

After the sentencing, the University of Tokyo issued a brief statement in English to the effect that Au’s student status will remain current and that his return is eagerly awaited.

I bit my lips hard, thinking of Au serving his sentence.

—The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 28

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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