JCP sues publisher and railway company for libel

The Japanese Communist Party on March 3 sued the publishing company Mirai Shobo and East Japan Railway Company for libel at the Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office.

The JCP complains that the publishing company has abused the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea to defame the JCP, and that JR East has carried advertisements of the book in trains.

The complaint stated that the book which Mirai Shobo published in December 2002 gave the impression to readers that the JCP might have taken part in the abductions. Moreover, almost half of this book is a reproduction without permission of articles of JCP newspaper Akahata in violation of copyright laws.

The accusation goes on to say that JR East helped the libel by advertising the book for 17 days in February on trains running in the district.

The JCP accusation states, "There are strong suspicions that political forces attacking the JCP are operating behind the book," and demands a thorough investigation and rigorous punishment.

The book has no mention of the author's career, and Mirai Shobo was a sleeping company before it changed its name. (end)