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2014 December 10 - 16 [POLITICS]

Secrets law likely to restrict news gathering activities regarding SDF

Akahata ‘Current’ column

Concerned about the state secrecy law which took effect on December 10, an executive self-defense official said with a straight face, “From now on, I must watch my words.”

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, just before he dissolved the House of Representatives on November 21, said, “The secrets law doesn’t have a great deal to do with the general public. If press coverage were repressed, I would resign as prime minister.”

In fact, this contentious law calls for criminal penalties against not only public employees who leak state secrets but also ordinary citizens and journalists who try to obtain access to information designated as “special secrets”. The law includes provisions for punishing any acts if these are judged to be abetment, conspiracy, fault or negligence.

About one hundred peace activists have been fighting in the Sendai High Court, demanding an injunction against SDF intelligence agents monitoring citizens’ peaceful demonstrations. In an oral proceeding, the former chief of the Ground Self-Defense Force Information Security unit testified and said, “Only through the SDF public relations section, can journalists or reporters interview SDF personnel.” The witness also said that news gathering activities must always gain approval from the PR section.

It would be like Japan in the prewar and wartime period when news reporting other than by the Imperial General Headquarters was not allowed.

Japan, in the past, had similar laws under the pretext of protecting military secrets. These laws controlled information and suppressed free speech, driving Japan headlong into a war of aggression.

Former Captain in the GSDF Kato Yoshimi, a whistleblower exposing SDF’s off-the-book funds, told Akahata on December 11 that the important thing is to keep on protesting against the secrets law and against Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right.

Past related articles:
> Ex-senior SDF official in court testifies on SDF monitoring of people [October 7, 2014]
> State secrets law closely resembles 1941 national defense security law [December 1, 2013]
> I listed all my friends’ names in background check form: former SDF official [November 18, 2013]
> Prewar false accusation indicates true colors of secrets protection bill [November 15, 2013]
> Foreign Correspondents’ Club calls for abolition of ‘secrets protection’ bill [November 12, 2013]
> Young lawyers join legal battle against SDF monitoring of public [June 11, 2013]