November 16, 2013
Popular writer Hyakuta Naoki, one of the five members appointed by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to the NHK management committee on November 13 following Diet approval, has been ridiculing the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.
Many journalists, scholars, and civil groups describe the newly-appointed board members as close friends of Abe, criticizing the NHK office of personnel affairs for allowing Abe to meddle in the affairs of the public broadcaster.
Hyakuta in his past weblog wrote, “If other countries attack Japan, I would send the Article 9 supporters to the front line of battle and have them stand up in the face of enemy troops to shout, ‘We have Article 9! Go away!’,” poking fun at the Constitution.
On a TV show as well, he once called opponents of constitutional revision “paranoid pacifists”.
Hyakuta at a press conference on the day of his appointment told reporters that he is “not that close” to the prime minister.
However, when the presidential election took place in the Liberal Democratic Party last year, he set up a group for the purpose of giving support to the formation of the Abe government. Another member appointed to the NHK management committee, philosopher Hasegawa Michiko, was also one of the initiators of this support group.
The 2008 revised Broadcast Act gives more authority to the NHK management committee. Board members are supposed to uphold the integrity and independence of public broadcasting from the pressures of political power holders, requiring the members to hold an independent position from political power holders.
Many journalists, scholars, and civil groups describe the newly-appointed board members as close friends of Abe, criticizing the NHK office of personnel affairs for allowing Abe to meddle in the affairs of the public broadcaster.
Hyakuta in his past weblog wrote, “If other countries attack Japan, I would send the Article 9 supporters to the front line of battle and have them stand up in the face of enemy troops to shout, ‘We have Article 9! Go away!’,” poking fun at the Constitution.
On a TV show as well, he once called opponents of constitutional revision “paranoid pacifists”.
Hyakuta at a press conference on the day of his appointment told reporters that he is “not that close” to the prime minister.
However, when the presidential election took place in the Liberal Democratic Party last year, he set up a group for the purpose of giving support to the formation of the Abe government. Another member appointed to the NHK management committee, philosopher Hasegawa Michiko, was also one of the initiators of this support group.
The 2008 revised Broadcast Act gives more authority to the NHK management committee. Board members are supposed to uphold the integrity and independence of public broadcasting from the pressures of political power holders, requiring the members to hold an independent position from political power holders.
