Japan Press Weekly

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2010 November 24 - 30 [POLITICS]

Revised broadcast law strengthens gov’t powers

The House of Councilors in its plenary session on November 26 enacted a revised broadcast act that strengthens the influence of government in the broadcast industry. The Japanese Communist Party opposed the enactment of this law.

The revised law promotes new entries into the broadcast business and enables the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications to censor broadcasters, license broadcasting businesses, and order business suspensions.

Prior to the plenary session, JCP lawmaker Yamashita Yoshiki at an Upper House Committee meeting on communications argued that an organization to check the content of broadcasts “should be independent from government.”

Before the war’s end, the Empire of Japan and its military had used the airwaves as a propaganda organ. Based on the deep remorse over that, the post-war broadcast act guaranteed the freedom of expression and the autonomy of broadcast stations.

“This law is being revised for the first time in 60 years. It is irresponsible and reckless to force a vote on the bill with only a one hour discussion,” Yamashita criticized.

On the previous day at a House of Representatives committee meeting, JCP Shiokawa Tetsuya also opposed the bill on the grounds that it would infringe on the freedom of the airwaves. Shiokawa stated, “To give the minister of communications authority to directly certify broadcasters and issue business suspension orders will allow room for unwarranted government intervention in the broadcast industry.”

The Lower House discussed the bill for only two hours and 40 minutes before its passage and soon sent the bill to the Upper House.

Citizen media and broadcast media researchers expressed concern, “In the future, websites and weblogs on the Internet would be interpreted as ‘broadcast’ and thus be regulated.”
- Akahata, November 26 & 27, 2010