Japanese government punishes faction for media attacks

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dw.com/en/japanese-government-punishes-faction-for-media-attacks/a-18555094

Members of ruling Liberal Democratic Party have demanded that newspapers be pressured to toe the line on government security policy, raising new questions about interference in a free and fair press in Japan.

Japanese government punishes faction for media attacks
Julian Ryall, Tokyo
01.07.2015

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is desperately trying to draw a line under comments by junior members of the party who demanded that media outlets critical of the government's security policies be punished, pressured into compliance or even shut down.

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Two newspapers in Okinawa came in for particular criticism, with Hyakuta saying The Ryukyu Shimpu and The Okinawa Times need to be "destroyed" for their negative coverage of US military bases in the prefecture.

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"The public's right to freedom of speech is guaranteed under Article 21 of the constitution and there is absolutely no justification for suggestions that newspapers should be destroyed for their editorial lines," he said.

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There are suggestions that the debate over the apparent desire in some sections of the government to muzzle the press will have a knock-on effect on discussions on the security bills that are presently working their way through the Diet. The ruling LDP, with its coalition partner Komeito, has a large majority in both houses of the Japanese parliament, but polls suggest that well over half of the public here is opposed to legislation that they feel could embroil the nation in another conflict.