Japan Press Weekly

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2012 February 15 - 21 [CIVIL RIGHTS]

Bar association demands halt to Osaka mayor’s survey on political beliefs

Osaka Bar Association President Nakamoto Kazuhiro on February 14 published a statement calling on Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru to put an end to its survey of municipal workers’ political beliefs.

In the compulsory survey, the mayor obliges city employees to answer whether they have taken part in political or union activities. Those who answer yes have to indicate when and where they have been asked to do so and by whom.

The president in his statement points out that the survey is ominous because it includes questions that infringe on municipal workers’ freedom of thought and beliefs as well as freedom to participate in political and union activities without interference.

The survey forces employees to answer the questions by threatening them with possible punishment and thus is not legally allowed, he added.