Japan Press Weekly

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2008 September 10 - 16 [POLITICS]

Journalists criticize media’s intensive reports on LDP presidential election

The Japan Congress of Journalists (JCJ) on September 12 issued an appeal calling on mass media to refrain from giving extensive coverage to the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election. The following is an excerpt of the appeal:

“The giving up of power by two successive prime ministers indicates their refusal to fulfill their duty to solve critical problems affecting the well being of the public and is irresponsible acts. It has also been shown in both domestic and international areas that the LDP lost its governing ability.

However, the LDP not only fails to publicly express apology and reflection, but is attempting to betray citizens and prolong its life by using media, especially TV to espouse their views.

TV stations should stop focusing their reports on the LDP presidential election and try to provide information objectively and fairly, including opposition parties’ activities.

Reports on the LDP presidential election are directly linked to the probable dissolution of the House of Representatives for a general election. Therefore, we believe that media should not be uncritical in reporting the election but equally give airtime to information about the opposition Democratic, Japanese Communist, and Social Democratic parties’ policies and activities in both quality and quantity so voters will be able to make an informed choice.