Japan Press Weekly

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2015 June 17 - 23 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Revised entertainment law leaves room for arbitrary policing in dance clubs: Yamashita

The Japanese Communist Party on June 17 at a House of Councilors plenary session voted against a bill to revise the entertainment business law as it will still enable the police to arbitrarily regulate dance clubs. The bill was enacted with the majority vote of the Liberal Democratic, Komei, Democratic, and Japan Innovation parties.

The revised law will permit operations of clubs if they meet certain conditions such as being in conformity with socially acceptable standards of behavior.

At an Upper House Cabinet Committee meeting on the previous day, JCP Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki used his question time to oppose the bill. He pointed out that as the revised law sets conditions using vague wording, this would lead to the possibility that the police could abuse their authority over clubs.

Yamashita quoted world-famous musician Sakamoto Ryuichi as saying that regulations on dance music culture is outdated and will result in the undermining of Japanese culture. Yamashita also talked about an owner of a well-established club in Kyoto who is proud of his club as a place where young people can get together to enjoy themselves and where new music culture can be expressed.

Yamashita criticized the bill for maintaining the anachronistic idea that control over the entertainment business involving dancing is necessary because it could unfavorably affect the lives of ordinary citizens.

Past related article:
> Osaka high court: dancing is not crime [January 22, 2015]
> Citizens petition Dietmembers to remove dance regulation [February 21, 2013]