Privacy protection bills enacted

A set of privacy protection bills threatening the freedom of speech and expression were enacted after they passed through the House of Councilors plenary session on May 23 by a majority vote of the three ruling parties.

Japanese Communist Party Hatta Hiroko, taking the floor on behalf of the opposition parties, pointed out problems with the bill and demanded that full enforcement of the privacy laws be suspended.

Commenting on the enactment, JCP Policy Commission Chair Fudesaka Hideyo said that the bills had been pending for two years since they were first submitted to the Diet due to fierce criticism from the opposition parties and people, and criticized the ruling parties for ramming the bills through while leaving the problems as they are.

Fudesaka stated that the bills may violate "the freedom of expression" guaranteed by the Constitution and are inefficient to protect personal information.

He commended the four opposition parties for joining together to propose a countermeasure to protect "the freedom of expression and press", but criticized the ruling parties for completely ignoring the opposition parties-submitted bill.

The JCP will closely watch the laws' operation in terms of personal information and the freedom of expression, Fudesaka added. (end)