December 9, 2014
Eight groups of lawyers working to defend human rights issued a joint statement demanding that the state secrets law be abrogated without delay.
The statement points out that the law, along with the cabinet decision to allow Japan to exercise the collective self-defense right, is part of the move to create a war-fighting nation. It also stresses that under the law, people’s free expression of opinions will be suppressed, which infringes on basic human rights.
Representatives of the groups held a news conference in the Diet building on December 8. One of the representatives, Ogawa Ryutaro said that 400 lawyers across the country are ready to take on any case where someone is arrested for violating the state secrets law.
The eight groups included the Japan Young lawyers Association Attorneys and Academics Section, the Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom, the Japanese Lawyers International Solidarity Association, the Japan Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms, the Japan Democratic Lawyer’s Association, and the Labour Lawyers Association of Japan.
On the same day, the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association submitted a statement to the Justice Minister, expressing its grave concern that the state secrets law could infringe on people’s right to know and on the freedom of press. The statement points out that the government could use the law to conceal whatever information it wants to keep from the public eye. The statement also demands that the government take measures to improve the process and extent of information disclosure and make amendments to the law if necessary.
Also on the same day, the Osaka Bar Association organized a protest march in Osaka City, calling for the abrogation of the law. A total of 250 lawyers and citizens marched in demonstration through the busy streets, holding sunflowers, a symbol of fairness and justice.
The statement points out that the law, along with the cabinet decision to allow Japan to exercise the collective self-defense right, is part of the move to create a war-fighting nation. It also stresses that under the law, people’s free expression of opinions will be suppressed, which infringes on basic human rights.
Representatives of the groups held a news conference in the Diet building on December 8. One of the representatives, Ogawa Ryutaro said that 400 lawyers across the country are ready to take on any case where someone is arrested for violating the state secrets law.
The eight groups included the Japan Young lawyers Association Attorneys and Academics Section, the Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom, the Japanese Lawyers International Solidarity Association, the Japan Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms, the Japan Democratic Lawyer’s Association, and the Labour Lawyers Association of Japan.
On the same day, the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association submitted a statement to the Justice Minister, expressing its grave concern that the state secrets law could infringe on people’s right to know and on the freedom of press. The statement points out that the government could use the law to conceal whatever information it wants to keep from the public eye. The statement also demands that the government take measures to improve the process and extent of information disclosure and make amendments to the law if necessary.
Also on the same day, the Osaka Bar Association organized a protest march in Osaka City, calling for the abrogation of the law. A total of 250 lawyers and citizens marched in demonstration through the busy streets, holding sunflowers, a symbol of fairness and justice.
