Japan Press Weekly

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2020 February 11 - 18 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP in a city in Fukuoka Pref. combat rightwing lawmaker's hate speech

Tokunaga Katsuko, a Japanese Communist Party member of the Yukihashi City Assembly in Fukuoka Prefecture, held a press conference in the city government office building on February 12, expressing her determination to square off with an assemblyperson who repeatedly uses hateful speech and protect democracy.

Late last year, Kotsubo Shinya, a Yukihashi City assemblyman who is affiliated with the rightist Nippon Kaigi, sued the JCP assemblywoman demanding that she apologize for defamation of his character.

Kotsubo is a figure who often makes statements to fuel hate speech and racial/ethnic discrimination. In 2016 when powerful earthquakes hit Kumamoto Prefecture, he said via social media, "It cannot be helped if a rumor such as 'Koreans threw poison into wells' spreads." In response to this post, the city assembly by majority vote adopted a resolution urging him "to have enough sense to be worthy of being a public figure". JCP Tokunaga on her blog posted the full text of this resolution. Kotsubo then filed a lawsuit demanding compensation and a formal apology by claiming that the resolution is illegitimate and defames his character.

At the press conference, Tokunaga said that legal action against her is missing the point. She pointed out that his biggest aim is creating division among Yukihashi citizens, the assembly, and the JCP, and said, "The JCP in Yukihashi City will thwart Kotsubo's unjust attack and will promote cooperation with concerned citizens."

Past related article:
> 1923 massacre of Koreans was due to groundless rumors spread by gov’t [September 2, 2017]
> Hate speeches invited by state shirking responsibility for prewar massacre: lawyer [October 23, 2013]
> Japan covered up 1923 massacre of Koreans [August 31, 2013]