Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 October 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

NPP-related information may be concealed under new secret law: cabinet official

The Abe government aims to conceal information regarding nuclear power facilities from the general public by passing a state secrets protection bill in the current Diet session.

This came to light on October 24 in a negotiation between the administration and civil groups, including lawmakers from various parties.

In response to a question from Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken, an official of the Cabinet Information Research Office said that information about nuclear power-related facilities can be designated as “special secrets” to safeguard the facilities from terrorist attacks. He added that “related facilities” include nuclear materials storage sites.

Under the “secrets protection law”, there is a possibility that the operations of nuclear reactors or the actual situation under a nuclear accident could be hidden from the public on the pretext of guarding state secrets. The secrets protection bill has no clause to limit the scope of classified information. It will be left up to the government to decide what sorts of matters will be designated as special secrets.

In a TV program on BS Fuji which was aired in September, assistant to the prime minister Isozaki Yosuke said, “We will never keep secret information relevant to nuclear power plants.” The government’s current assertions were completely denied by the previously mentioned cabinet official.

**********

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) published an opinion on October 23, criticizing the bill for violating the public’s right to know. The following day the liaison conference against changing the Constitution for the worse (Kenpo-Kaigi) also issued a statement opposing the bill. The Federation of Cinema and Theatrical Workers Union of Japan (Eienroren) adopted a special resolution at its annual convention, arguing that their information-gathering activities to make documentary films or other works dealing with social issues could be restricted by a state secret law.


Past related article:
> NSC and secrets protection bills to turn Japan into a war-fighting nation [October 13, 2013]