Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 15 - 21 [CIVIL RIGHTS]

Journalists call for joint action to demand revocation of secrecy law

RESCUE 9, an Article 9 Association in the media industry, and the Japan Congress of Journalists on January 14 called for a joint action to demand the revocation of the state secrets law and the resignation of the Abe Cabinet.

At a press conference held in Tokyo, initiators of the action, including 62 journalists, announced that they will further increase support from media people.

Kobayashi Midori, a former member of the NHK Board of Governors, said, “I want NHK to produce good TV programs for the public, not for Prime Minister Abe.”

Former editor in chief of Kyodo News Service, Hara Toshio said, “Given his recent visit to the Yasukuni Shrine and the enactment of the secrecy law, everyone can clearly see that PM Abe is a nationalist.”

NHK workers asked to not give in to power

On the morning of January 14 in front of the NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya in Tokyo, a civic group directly asked NHK workers arriving at work to resist undue pressure and courageously include information on the air that should be conveyed to the general public.

Several citizens standing before each of the four gates handed out leaflets to NHK staff, calling for the independence and neutrality of the airwaves.

Many former TV producers and directors were on the supporters’ list included in the leaflet.

This action took place because the media-conscious citizens’ group was concerned about the fact that the NHK Board of Governors now includes many of PM Abe’s friends.

The group made representations to demand that the NHK President and the Japan Broadcasting Labor Union promote independent and neutral airwaves.