JCP protests against NHK excluding specific political parties from debate program

Japan Press Weekly

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

JCP protests against NHK excluding specific political parties from debate program

The Japanese Communist Party on August 31 lodged a protest against NHK’s decision to remove particular political parties from its political debate program.

NHK initially said that it will invite representatives of the government and political parties for its Sunday debate program on August 29. However, those who appeared on the program as party representatives were only from the Democratic, Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Your parties because the debaters were limited to members of political parties that have a sufficient number of seats to submit a bill to the Diet.

JCP Press Liaison Office Head Ueki Toshio visited NHK headquarters in Tokyo to deliver a statement of protest.

In the statement, the JCP criticizes NHK for abandoning the public will, claiming that it has eliminated political parties with seats in the Diet based on its arbitrary criterion.

The JCP urges NHK to review this discriminatory decision because it is a matter of supporting democracy.

Later on the same day, the JCP visited the Social Democratic, People’s New, Sunrise, and New Renaissance parties to explain the JCP’s position regarding NHK’s decision.

- Akahata, September 1, 2010