The recent arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow under the national security law pushed by Beijing has put the severity of human rights issues in the territory in the spotlight and stirring up anti-Chinese sentiment among many Japanese.

Chow, dubbed "Goddess of Democracy," played a key role in the 2014 Umbrella Movement that called for democratic change in the former British colony. She often delivered her messages to around 500,000 Twitter followers in fluent Japanese.

As conservative Japanese lawmakers, who place importance on the alliance with the United States, have urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to review his diplomatic strategy toward China, Chow's arrest may become another issue complicating Sino-Japanese ties.