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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Mass media is blindfolded - 'Mass Media Article 9 Association'

The "Mass Media Article 9 Association" on January 28 held a symposium, focusing on the reality of media coverage of issues relating to the Japanese Constitution.

The group was set up by people working in mass media as well as readers and audiences in order to defend the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

Iwasaki Sadaaki, chief-editor of a magazine on mass media and a former TV station news editor, pointed out that news coverage of commercial TV stations is most influenced by audience rating. He said, "TV stations presuppose that the general public is not interested in the Constitutional issue and that the issue never has high ratings." He criticized TV stations for distancing themselves from the Constitutional issue.

Umeda Masaki, who represents the publication division of the Japan Congress of Journalists, reported on the background of the publication of a book entitled "Okinawa rejects military bases." He spoke as follows:

The Asahi Shimbun carried an article written by Iokibe Makoto, professor at Kobe University on November 22, 2005. That was one month after the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee agreed on the plan to construct a new U.S. base in the sea off Henoko in Okinawa. The article stated, "The U.S. flexibly cooperated in reducing the burden on Okinawa. It will be necessary to understand that the security environment does not allow the Japan-U.S. relations to be broken down."

Umeda told, "Asahi got Prof. Iokibe aboard its company plane to write the article aimed at persuading residents of Okinawa to accept the government plan." "I simply could not ignore it," he stressed.

He said, "More than 100 local governments around the country are opposed to the realignment plan of the U.S. Forces in Japan. However, it is only Akahata that has consistently reported this fact. Mass media are blindfolded."

Journalist Hara Toshio pointed out that according to opinion polls opposition to the revision of Article 9 remains in the majority. He emphasized that it is important to be aware of the characteristic of the Japanese Constitution as a "war-renouncing constitution" and that this characteristic also serves as the basis for the protection of fundamental human rights and the principle of people's sovereignty.

The "Article 9 Association" is a movement initiated by public figures who represent the conscience of Japan. In the one and half years since its founding, more than 4,000 grassroots "Article 9 associations" have been established in local communities, workplaces, on campuses, and in various areas throughout the country.
- Akahata, February 17, 2006