Japan Press Weekly

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2017 January 18 - 24 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

MX TV has so-what attitude toward criticism for televising unfounded rumors about protests against US helipads in Takae

The local TV company, Tokyo MX, has ignored public criticisms over its program which slandered against Okinawans protesting the construction of U.S. helipads in the Takae district.

The program in question, a news magazine show entitled “News Joshi”, was aired in early January. A report in the program covered local protests against the construction of U.S. Ospreypads in Okinawa’s Takae community. A reporter for the program insulted anti-base residents by saying, “People resisting the construction are hired to do so.” The reporter also insinuated foreign interference by saying, “Protesters include Koreans and Chinese people.”

Following a flood of public criticism of the program, the broadcast company on January 16 soon after the program aired suddenly telecast an on-screen text message expressing its cavalier.

After the message was read out, Tokyo MX claimed that it presented the program as one example related to the current controversies surrounding the Okinawan base issue. It also said that it will continue “taking up various controversial issues in a fair and equitable manner”, which is tantamount to declaring that the program dealt with the Takae issue “impartially” .

Akahata sent Tokyo MX inquiries about whether it is considering taking any measures to revise the program in line with the Broadcast Law and the company’s own expressed standards of broadcasting. However, the broadcaster has not responded to the Akahata inquiry as of January 16.

Freelance editor Kawana Mari, who is organizing a nationwide protest against the TV company, said, “Okinawans are seeking peace and waging struggles to protect their dignity as they are forced to shoulder heavier U.S. base burdens. The MX’s program acted as a form of hate speech directed against them. Tokyo MX should apologize to them and provide an amended, non-biased report on the issue.”

Past related article:
> Commercial TV program slanders Okinawans opposing US base construction [January 7, 2017]