Japan Press Weekly

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2013 November 27 - December 3 [POLITICS]

Artists voice protest against secrets protection bill

Musician Sakamoto Ryuichi, Artist Nara Yoshitomo, and other artists on December 2 established a group representing artists opposing the secrets protection bill, and issued a protest statement.

As of 4 p.m. on the day, 91 people in the music, art, theatrical, and publishing worlds signed on as initiators, including Iwai Shunji (film director), Murakami Ryu (writer), and Takahashi Yukihiro (musician).

The statement states that the secrets protection bill will adversely affect creative activities, such as music, visual arts, literature, movie and photography, as they need a peaceful and democratic society for their basis, and that it will also infringe on the freedom of expression including publishing and broadcasting.

The document voices objections to the forcible passage of the bill through the House of Representatives and calls for the killing of it.

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The Kunitachi City Assembly in Tokyo adopted a statement in protest against the secrets protection bill on December 2.

The Japanese Communist Party, Seikatsusha Net, Democratic, Social Democratic, and Your parties voted for the statement, while the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties voted against it.

The statement points out that many citizens are expressing concerns over the possible violation of the people’s right to know and the severe penal provisions in the bill. As these anxieties remain unresolved, the bill should be discarded, it concludes.