Racist Speech Is Accused

Freedom of speech is guaranteed to everyone. But if it would harm someone, this human right can be restricted. Ignoring that basic principle in democracy or denying democracy itself, a member of House of Representatives Mio Sugita, who were affiliated to Liberal Democratic Party, reiterated discriminative speeches against ethnic minority publicly. Sapporo Legal Affairs Bureau recognized the Sugita’s three offensive posts online against Ainu people, as breaches of human rights. It is highly unusual that a Diet member, whose privileged status is constitutionally guaranteed, is legally accused of a speech.

 

Sapporo Legal Affairs Bureau, one of the local bodies of Ministry of Justice, avoided “taking measures” against Sugita on her violation of human rights, but issued an “enlightenment” to her. The bureau recommended Sugita to study more about Ainu culture and be careful about her speech. Sugita has not commented on the issue. As long as Sugita is a member of House of Representatives elected in the election with official recognition of LDP, LDP is responsible for her speech.

 

When Sugita participated in a meeting of United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, she posted on Twitter and other social networking services that “Even Hanbok or cosplayer aunts wearing Ainu ethnic cloths appeared. It was completely a problem on their dignity. Breathing the same air got me down to the extent my body condition was exacerbated when I left the place.”

 

When she was asked about the post by an opposition member of Ayaka Shiomura (CDP) in a Diet session last November, Sugita admitted the fact and denied her responsibility because she had not been a lawmaker at the time. “There were a hundred of such people surrounding and scolding me. It must be natural such an ordinary person as me to have that kind of impression,” explained Sugita.

 

There is no rule that a person surrounded and scolded can insult someone’s personality publicly. Although Shiomura asked whether the posts would be defined as hate speeches, a staff from Ministry of Justice said that it was hard to answer on the issue, because she didn’t know the details about it. Prime Minister Kishida followed that not allowing hate speech would be a proper attitude for the government. This was the answer from an administration which upheld no tolerance to hate speech.

 

The response of the government on the issuance of enlightenment was dry. “As a general meaning, there should not be any discrimination with the reason of being ethnically an Ainu,” told Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno in his press conference. The deputy secretary general of Ainu Association of Sapporo Ryoko Tahara, who asked the bureau a relief on the human rights violation, hopes that the bureau’s decision marks the first step toward a normal society without discrimination.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when ...
Read more

Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, ...
Read more

Not A Royal Wedding

The bride called her husband an indispensable existence and their marriage was necessary choice to protect their mind. The groom insisted on his life as only once and his right to be with his loved one. Her father wanted his daughter’s marriage to be celebrated by the people. The people were not sure whether the family was happy as a whole. Is this the traditional Japanese social system that makes no one happy? Mako Komuro, as known as Princess Mako during her life in one of the royal family Akishino, held on Tuesday a press conference with her husband Kei Komuro, right after submitting marriage report to local government. It was something different from ordinary Q&A session, because Mako was afraid of her mental uneasiness brought by some questions not based on truth. So, the event was actually one-sided speech to the reporters. Mako emphasized that the Kei’s decision of studying abroad five years ago had not been his original idea, but a result of her request to establish an over...
Read more