Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2016 August 10 - 16 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP protests against secret filming of people by Oita police

The Japanese Communist Party Oita Prefectural Committee on August 9 made representations to Oita police regarding the issue that the police secretly monitored a union building, demanding that the police disclose full information about the issue.

The building in question is located in Oita’s Beppu City, a well-known hot spring area. During the July Upper House election campaign, it was used by labor unions and civil groups as the center in their activities in support of a joint opposition candidate. The police placed spy cameras near the building to record the entrance and exit of people.

After the representation, JCP prefectural committee head Hayashida Sumitaka and JCP member of the Oita Prefectural Assembly Tsutsumi Eizo held a press conference.

Hayashida stressed that the secret surveillance by the police trampled on basic human rights under the Constitution, such as the freedom of political activity and the freedom of thought and creed. He criticized the police for abusing its authority. He said that the police should fully explain the how and why before the prefectural assembly and the general public.

Hayashida also said that this issue seems related to a political tendency to exercise control over the general public and the media which evidently increased since the forcible enactment of the war legislation.

JCP assemblyperson Tsutsumi said that the JCP will pursue this issue in the September session of the assembly.

Past related article:
> Police illegally monitors union activists [August 4, 2016]