An online petition in support of the journalist also gathered more than 17,000 signatures.10. One book is by Hokusai and the other is by Utamaro.8 An American scholar of Japanese descent 43 creator Ken Akamatsu has decided to walk the walk and change Japanese censorship laws by running for office. The Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets came into force in 2014, despite objections from the opposition, civil society, and protesters. In 2021, authorities fined Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Google, TikTok, and other internet companies a total of at least 187 million RUB (US$2.5 million) over failures to take down supposedly. 1850 M St. NW Floor 11 In May 2021, the NICT released a summary of NOTICE-related activities, disclosing that it attempted to access 112 million IP addresses, and that the NOTICE alert detected 1,817 targets and notified service providers.6, The conspiracy law passed in 2017 raised the possibility of more government surveillance. Ensafi's team found that censorship is increasing in 103 of the countries studied, including unexpected places like Norway, Japan, Italy, India, Israel and Polandcountries which the paper notes are rated as some of the freest in the world by advocacy group Freedom House. Censorship of pornography in Japan, be it animated, photographed or filmed, has always been superficial, focusing on blocking out or blurring the sex organs. During Diet sessions, when questions were raised as to whether the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office were intercepting phone calls and e-mails, the government declined to answer.12. However, a revised and newly enacted anti-piracy law criminalizes illegally downloading manga, magazines, and academic texts, but did not expand the governments ability to block websites (see C2).3. For example, the Jiminto (LDP) Net Supporters Club (J-NSC), organized in 2010, had about 19,000 members as of 2017. At the end of the coverage period, the government had not taken steps to restrict use of the platform. The amendments are set to come into effect in 2022.1, In May 2021, the government launched an investigation into the data management polices of LINE, a messaging application with servers based in Japan, after a report revealed that Chinese engineers had accessed LINEs data without the companys knowledge. Share Share. Amendments passed by the Diet in 2015 defined personal information in more specific terms as biometric information and numeric data that is capable of identifying a specific individual.5 In recent years, content removals have focused on hate speech and illegal content, including child sexual abuse images and intimate images shared without the subjects consent. While cyberattacks against journalists and activists are rare, private companies have been targeted in previous coverage periods. Hana Kimura was subject to harassment, primarily because of her gender, after she appeared on the reality television show "Terrace House. In May 2020, Kimura committed suicide. The city has considered measures to deal with online hate speech, but did not implement a specific ordinance to address this activity. The telecommunications, internet, and broadcast sectors are regulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) rather than an independent commission. In March 2020, the government approved a revision of the Copyright Act, making it illegal to download manga, magazines, and academic publications, in addition to music and videos including in the previous version, without the copyright holders permission. Germany, which has. In June 2019, the movements organizer, actress and freelance writer Ishikawa Yumi, submitted an online petition, which then bore almost 20,000 signatures, to the Health Ministry calling for an end to the requirement.4 Do infrastructural limitations restrict access to the internet or the speed and quality of internet connections? In May 2020, MICs minister Takaichi Sanae, voiced her interest in amending the Provider Liability Limitation Law.3 Art censorship in Hong Kong is "very much real," an expert said after the city's much-anticipated art gallery opened recently without showcasing some expected artworks by a Chinese dissident. Japanese residents exercise some self-censorship online, often on historical and social issues. March 23, 2021, 2:30 PM Japan granted asylum to less than 1 percent of refugees and asylum-seekers who applied in 2019, despite having the third-largest economy in the world. A 2012 legal revision targeting copyright violators applies to any internet users who download content they know has been illegally copied, as opposed to just those engaged in piracy for commercial gain.3 These rights are generally upheld in practice, though some social and legal constraints exist, and several laws have negative implications for free speech. Customers in small cities, towns, and villages paid an average monthly price of nearly 3,024 ($29.04). Censorship by the government is unconstitutional. Former President Donald Trump late last year signed a law that requires US-listed companies to be held to American auditing standards and establish they are not owned or controlled by a foreign. Due to Tokuras previous position and his lobbying efforts on behalf of JASRAC, his appointment sparked concerns about his ability to balance protecting the rights of artists and creators while also ensuring the freedom of individuals who use copyrighted works.8. However, several cases of online harassment were documented during the coverage period. (Feb. 22, 2021) On December 30, 2020, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin signedFederal Law No. Published Dec 29, 2021 Negima!? The man who later confessed to the stabbing allegedly harassed Okamoto online; in November 2019, he received an 18-year prison sentence.8. Japanese man arrested for stealing women's shoes and replacing them with new ones; Japanese office disaster: man pees in drink bottle of woman coworker because "he liked her" Japanese Twitter reacts to Logan Paul's "Japanese Suicide Forest" video; Man travels 100 kilometers in middle of the night in Japan to punch another dude in . censorship - The Japan Times censorship Asia Pacific Jul 25, 2021 One month since closing of Apple Daily, concern over Hong Kong free press lingers by Caroline Tam Apple Daily's closure and. In 2017, several municipalities asked for a clearer definition of hate speech under the law.7 The 2001 Provider Liability Limitation Act directed ISPs to establish a self-regulatory framework to govern takedown requests involving illegal or objectionable content, defamation, privacy violations, and copyright infringement.9 In May 2021, Aren Hachimura, the younger brother of NBA basketball player Rui Hachimura, received racist messages over SNS. In 2016, major Japanese news outlets reported that government officials pressured TEPCO not to use the term meltdown at a news conference shortly after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident.5 Japanese individuals, particularly women, have used the internet to protest against gender-based discrimination and effect tangible change. The provider notifies the individual who posted the content and fulfills the request with the posters permissionor without it if the individual fails to respond. In 2017, two people were sentenced to 18 months in prison, a three-year suspension, and a 500,000 ($4,534) fine for copyright-related offenses.2, Journalists who report on sensitive topics also face government and authorities pressure in the form of defamation lawsuits. the use of Googles Person Finder web application to facilitate rescue and recovery,2 Under the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets, intentional leaks can draw penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, while unintentional leaks can be punished with up to two years in prison. Under the amended law, an individual can request the court to disclose information about a sender who posted defamatory content. Japanese and American Legal Systems. Digital activism in Japan has been highly effective at both the local and the national level, and online mobilization tools are freely available. Security agents and the military were accused of conducting illegal surveillance in cases involving national security in 2003 and 2004.13 However, most online media remain small and community based.1 In 2002, industry associations produced guidelines designed to protect ISPs from legal liability within the jurisdiction of the Japanese courts. Iwakami was sentenced to pay 330,000 ($2,992) in September 2019 after he retweeted a post from 2017 that suggested Hashimoto was responsible for the suicide of one of his subordinates.3, Several users have been arrested and charged under a 2011 law criminalizing the creation and use of computer viruses without a legitimate reason (see C2). Are individuals subject to extralegal intimidation or physical violence by state authorities or any other actor in relation to their online activities? Authorities have used the law to convict the operators of manga piracy site Mangamura (see C2 and C3). Article 175 of the Criminal Code of Japan is to prevent the distribution and sale of of indecent material, and its current interpretation includes pornography. The Agency for Cultural Affairs has jurisdiction over copyright law and provides guidance and supervision to copyright management organizations, including JASRAC. Japan's laws on censorship have become a more frequent topic of discussion among anime fans in the past few months. Kisha clubs provide essential access to officials in Japan, but they have been accused of denying such access to young journalists and new media outlets; the system may also limit some reporters access to certain locations, such as areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Service providers protect themselves from civil liability by adhering to voluntary guidelines on takedown requests.8 An earlier Intercept report from 2017 analyzed leaked documents that suggested Japanese police and intelligence agencies were involved in in regional surveillance operations managed by the US National Security Agency (NSA). In February 2020, data communication was unavailable for a few hours for mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Mineo customers.9 Does the government place restrictions on anonymous communication or encryption? People can freely use the internet to mobilize, and netizens did so during the reporting period, notably to protest discrimination against women and LGBT+ communities. In contrast, when private individuals or groups organize boycotts against stores that sell magazines of which they disapprove, their actions are protected by the First Amendment, although they can become dangerous in the extreme. Major mobile service providers require customers to present identification documents in order to subscribe. In May 2019, it was revealed that the national government and Fukushima Prefecture paid over 24 billion ($217 million) to an advertising agency to manage public relations, including in online outlets, after the disaster.6. According to the Inclusive Internet Index 2021 report, Japan ranks 12th out of 100 countries surveyed for affordability, defined by cost of access relative to income and the level of competition in the internet market.1 Four of its women characters, Jean, Amber, Mona and Rosaria, would be getting new "alternate . 2 The judge also ordered the confiscation of approximately 62 million ($562,290) that Hoshino had hidden in overseas bank accounts. Weibo, China's answer to Twitter, has long been a prime target for stringent online censorship thanks to its broad audience base and ability to help influence public opinion. After NTT Docomo became a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT in December 2020,4 Japans antistalking law, originally enacted in 2000, was revised in 2013 to address email harassment, and further revised in 2016 to penalize repeated blog posts or messages on social networking services.15. In 2021, Japan faces some of the biggest social, political, and economic changes of a lifetime. Courts have continued to consider lawsuits from individuals requesting that search engines delink inaccurate or irrelevant material about them from public results, but the Supreme Court has laid down important guidance that set limits on such right to be forgotten removals.1 Chinese groups BlackTech and Tick were reportedly behind the breaches.7 Do the constitution or other laws fail to protect rights such as freedom of expression, access to information, and press freedom, including on the internet, and are they enforced by a judiciary that lacks independence? The group essentially serves as an online public relations effort for the LDP, though its rules make clear that members are responsible for their own social media posts. Washington, DC 20036, Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free). Some of those arrested were fined 100,000 ($906).5 During the previous reporting period, a number of users were charged with virus-related offenses (see C3). Does state surveillance of internet activities infringe on users right to privacy? and the online organization of large demonstrations and protests against nuclear energy. Ahead of the Okinawa gubernatorial election in September 2018, misinformation again spread online.4 Infrastructure was also severely damaged in 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami hit Japans east coast, triggering the destruction of a nuclear power plant in Fukushima. However, in October of 2012, the Japanese government stated that Article 23(1) was abolished and, therefore, same-sex . The future of an independent NHK is crucial given the increasing demand for impartial, objective and trusted sources of information. Observers have accused MIC officials and the prime minister's office of trying to restrict or influence content under the broadcast law.3, There are substantial concerns that MIC officials are increasingly influenced by business executives who use gifts to garner favor for their policies from government officials. Heightened awareness of nonconsensual sharing of intimate images and online harassment culminated in the adoption of a law criminalizing such activity in 2014. Although that years guidelines from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) garnered criticism, they helped address concerns that the cost of switching providers favored dominant players and created a barrier for new market entrants.8 2. Such posts have attacked critics of the LDP government and have at times initiated negative campaigns against opposition lawmakers.1 Explicit images of genitalia are forbidden in Japan . Besides benefiting Japanese consumers,9 A 2011 law criminalized the creation or distribution of computer viruses without a legitimate reason.13 Rakuten Mobile partnered with electronics firm NEC to launch 5G services, originally planned for June 2020. It was not clear how much of the monitoring involved digital as opposed to physical surveillance.14. The move raised serious concerns over whether blocking was constitutionally allowed, and the government later indicated that it would introduce legislation to broaden its blocking authority (see B3). Japan has a diverse online landscape. 2, A 2003 law protects personal information collected electronically by private and public-sector organizations when it consists of more than 5,000 records.3 The book concludes by assessing the current state of censorship in Japan and likely future developments. According to a survey conducted by international security firm CrowdStrike, a little more than half of the 200 largest Japanese companies, including Honda, Canon, Citizen Watch and Asunaro Aoki Construction, have been hit by ransomware cyberattacks, and 33 companies have paid an average of 123 million ($1.12 million) to criminal networks to prevent their password-protected data from leaks. Does the online information landscape lack diversity and reliability? 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