Exiled Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer arrived Tuesday in Japan from the United States for a series of speeches across the country.
After landing at Narita airport, Kadeer told reporters she wants the Japanese government to put pressure on China to improve its policies regarding minorities. She thanked Japan for issuing her a visa.
Kadeer's visit, her second this year, has drawn fire from China, which said Tuesday it was "strongly dissatisfied" with Japan's decision to allow her in.
China has accused Kadeer of orchestrating a deadly outbreak of ethnic violence in Xinjiang in July. Kadeer, who heads the World Uyghur Congress, has denied the allegation.
"China (has) expressed its strong dissatisfaction over Japan's decision" to allow Kadeer Rebiya to visit despite Beijing's opposition, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said.
Ma also accused "some forces in Japan" of facilitating her visit to carry out separatist activities against China.
A senior official in Tokyo said that the visa was issued to Kadeer in line with Japanese law and there was no reason to bar her from visiting the country.