Intrusion on Thought at Heart

House of Representatives embarked on the discussion over revised Organized Crime Punishment Law, which included provisions of crime of conspiracy. While Shinzo Abe administration recognize the law as necessary for success of Tokyo Olympics 2020, the opposite parties rejected the bill as it would intrude on freedom of thought at heart. Disguising true intention with popular demand is one of the ordinary methods of bureaucracy to oppress the people.

The law submitted to the Diet by Abe administration would enable law enforcement power to arrest members of “terrorist group or other organized crime groups” before activation of crime, when they were involved in stand-by activities such as accumulating money or goods or making preview. While the government calls it “crime of preparing terrorism or other things,” the bill makes no difference from Crime of Conspiracy Law, which was rejected by the Diet three times in Jun-ichiro Koizumi administration.

In the discussion at Plenary Sittings, a Representative Seiji Osaka, Democratic Party, dismissed the bill as not panacea for preventing terrorism. “It is really a cheap trick for the government to establish new crime attributing it to anti-terrorist measures,” told Osaka. Raising an appeal of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for Japan as a safest country in the world in invitation of Tokyo Olympics, Osaka asked Abe whether Japan had become unsafe only in these three years afterward.

Yasufumi Fujino with Japan Communist Party argued that not only the terrorist but everyone would be targeted, because an administration in power and organization of law enforcement could arbitrarily be interpreting the provision, once they obtain power for punishing every thought at heart. “Crime of conspiracy is unconstitutional legislation that intrudes on freedom of thought and conscience and violate the clause of accordance with right legal procedure. That was because the crime was dismissed three times,” said Fujino.

Abe tried to defend the bill. “Although security in Japan has been kept moderate, situation can be changed anytime. A party that abandons sufficient efforts cannot handle an administration. We will do everything for Olympics,” stressed Abe. Surprisingly enough, Abe defended past provision of crime of conspiracy as not punishing thought at heart but punishing activity of conspiracy. He looked like distorting the fact that crime of conspiracy had been a basic concept of Maintenance of Public Order Act that oppressed a great number of people with suspect of keeping anti-governmental thought.

Protesters surrounded the Diet building on Thursday, chanting “No to Crime of Conspiracy.” Local governments have passed resolution against the law. Writers, journalists or other professionals living on freedom of thought also criticize governmental attempt of further censoring. This is the government that upholds beautiful nation, a concept raised by Abe.

You Get out of Here

If a journalist consistently asks questions to Minister in a Cabinet, he or she will be blamed as rude and excluded from the press corp. That was proved by Minister for Reconstruction, Masashiro Imamura, on Tuesday. Imamura scolded a journalist, who asked about responsibility of national government on the evacuation of voluntary evacuees around Japan, as disrespectful and said “Get out of here.” This is what Japanese version of democracy all about.

The journalist asked how Imamura felt about governmental responsibility on the policy that ended financial support for the rent of evacuees from uneasiness with possible negative impact of radiation emitted from broken reactors in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Imamura explained standpoint of national government that it would be supporting Fukushima Prefectural government to deal with the issue. It sounded as if national government was in the secondary position to support the evacuees. To the question about the measures for not returning back to their hometown, Imamura told that the evacuees would be responsible for themselves.

After some exchanges over responsibility of national government, Imamura got emotional in front of the reporters.

Journalist: No money is paid for voluntary evacuees.

Imamura: This is not the place for dispute.

Journalist: Please answer responsibly.

Imamura: I am doing responsibly. What a rude argument are you making? This is an official place.

Journalist: Yes.

Imamura: What are you saying was irresponsible? Pull back your statement.

Journalist: I don’t do that.

Imamura: Do it. Get out of here. Never come back again. I do not tolerate slander or defamation.

Journalist: You are confusing the evacuees.

Imamura: Shut up!

The evacuees were deeply disappointed with that embarrassing exchange. “My house in Tamura City is still in a heavy contamination and unfit for living. Is the Minister really know about the situation?” told an old woman to news reporter. Even a staff of Reconstruction Agency admitted that Imamura’s argument of self-responsibility was too cold to the evacuees.

The opposite parties accused Imamura as unsuitable for Minister for Reconstruction. “How much did he harm sentiment of the evacuees? I’m in anger,” said a member of House of Councillors with Democratic Party, Katsuya Shimba. All the opposite parties required resignation of Imamura. Although Cabinet leaders tried to protect Imamura, distrust of the evacuees will not easily be removed.

Anti-terrorism Tie with Russia

Japanese newspapers reported on Tuesday that an explosion in a subway train of St. Petersburg, Russia, killed ten or more passengers. The incident was proved to be a terrorist attack plotted by an Islamic extremist from Kyrgyzstan, where an international terrorist group Islamic State was taking power. Having complicated territory issue with Russia, Japan looks like approaching Russia to generate preferable situation in the bilateral relationship.

It was Monday afternoon when the explosion occurred in a subway train running in the downtown of St. Petersburg. Minister of Health, Voronika Skvoltsova, announced that 10 passengers were killed and 37 were injured. The number of victims is developing. Another explosive device was found in another subway station. Investigative Committee of Russia determined on Tuesday that the incident was a terrorist attack by a 22 year-old Russian suspect from Kyrgyzstan, Akbarzhon Jalilov.

According to the Committee, Jalilov set on the train an explosive device that could be ignited by mobile phone from distant place. Russian media reported that Jalilov was from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and moved to Russia with his parents six years ago. Islamic State is extending its power to Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan and Russian investigative organization regards the suspect as connected with Syrian militia.

To a regret for Russian Government, the terrorist attack occurred when Russian President Vladimir Putin was making visit to St. Petersburg. The explosion was activated under a high security network. While Putin had been enhancing domestic anti-terrorist measures, credibility of Putin administration turned to be a disappointment. It is likely that Putin is going to lay stricter policy.

Although Russia has been recognized as somewhat different from Western nations in terms of the targets of Islamic extremists, it embraces internal ethnic oppositions in its huge homeland. Russia experienced consecutive terrorisms right before Sochi Olympics or explosion of Russian airplane flying over Egypt, which caused a number of victims. The terrorism in St. Petersburg could be retaliation against consecutive air raids on IS in Syria or domestic sweeping of Islamic extremists.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not hesitate calling Putin to send condolences to the victims and support for anti-terrorist measures. “To eliminate terrorism, we will cooperate with international society including Russia,” Abe told Putin. It is likely that Abe hopes terrorisms in foreign nations to justify his internal policies that may limit human rights of the people. Abe administration submitted a bill for establishing crime of conspiracy to the Diet. There was no reason for Abe not to support Putin fighting terrorism.

Returning Ambassador in Vain

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida, announced on Monday that Japanese government would return its Ambassador to Republic of Korea, Yasumasa Nagamine, to Seoul as early as on Tuesday. Protesting weak handling of South Korean government in building a statue of comfort woman in front of Japanese Consulate General in Busan, Shinzo Abe administration pulled Nagamine back to Japan last December. Now, Abe administration finishes the policy without any achievement, leaving empty months in bilateral diplomacy with South Korea.

There have been a lot of events in these three months. When North Korea launched four ballistic missiles last month, which touched down on offshore of Akita Prefecture of Japan, Japanese government could not have necessary diplomatic contact with South Korea on the Ambassador level. Impeachment of former South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, who promoted the agreement with Abe for settling dispute over comfort woman, was a major damage for Japan. But, Japanese Ambassador to RoK, staying in Japan, could not obtain necessary information about the Presidential scandal.

Park is no longer in Presidency. The biggest opposite party in South Korea, New Politics Alliance for Democracy or Minjoo Party, raised Moon Jae-in for the candidate of Presidential election in May. As Moon was known as a hardliner to Japan in terms of comfort woman issue, Japanese government had to rebuild moderate relationship with possible candidates for next President. “Nagamine is going to directly urge Acting President, Hwang Kyo-ahn, persuade next administration to implement bilateral agreement on comfort woman,” told Kishida about the reason of sending Nagamine to South Korea again.

Prolonged stay of Nagamine in Japan proved absence of exit strategy on the protesting diplomacy of Abe administration. Some officers in Ministry for Foreign Affairs expected the recalling to end within ten days or so at the beginning. But, Kishida, backed by Abe, insisted on hard policy toward Park administration, requesting  removal of statue of comfort woman. Kishida admitted that his policy made no achievement.

It is necessary for Japanese government to make new connection with next South Korean administration before new President coming in. The Ambassador is the most responsible for the project. But, it is still unclear whether Nagamine will be successful in rebuilding preferable relationship with the Presidential candidates. Sober relationship between Japan and South Korea will give advantage to North Korea, which is preparing for next intimidation of development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Revival of Imperial Rescript on Education

Shinzo Abe administration decided on Friday that Imperial Rescript on Education, which had been an ideological guideline for education in pre-war Japan, would not be rejected as an educational text. Although IRE was resolved in the Diet to be excluded and void in 1948, Abe administration looks like reviving the spell for making the people servants for state power. IRE calls the people our subjects.

IRE was the lesson of Meiji Emperor to the people issued in 1890. “Our subjects ever united in loyalty and filial piety have from generation to generation illustrated the beauty thereof. This is the glory of the fundamental character of Our Empire, and herein also lies the source of Our education,” says the rescript.

IRE is used for determining the relationship between the people and the Emperor. While it lays moral standard in ordinary relationship, including respect for parents, cooperation of brothers and sisters, harmony of spouses or reliance between friends, IRE requires the people to obey national cause. “Should emergency arise, offer yourselves courageously to the State, and thus guard and maintain the prosperity of Our Imperial Throne,” tells the rescript.

Minister of Defense, Tomomi Inada, had said in an interview to a magazine in 2006 that Japan had to regain the core concept of IRE, which required morality of the people or the state. In the discussion in House of Councillors last March, Inada still insisted on her conviction that IRE should not be excluded from public education. A member of House of Representatives, Akihiro Hatsushika, submitted questions to Abe Cabinet last month that pointed inconsistence of the Diet resolution in 1948, which defined IRE as based on imperial sovereignty and mythical state body.

The answer of Abe Cabinet was something surprising. While it rejected an education solely rooted on IRE, the answer allowed the schools to use IRE as a text as long as it would not violate Constitution of Japan or Basic Act on Education. Fundamental error of Abe Cabinet was to giving power to an abolished educational guideline in Imperial Japan, contradicting its past definition of IRE as void.

True lesson of IRE is that it was taken advantage of by highly bureaucratic pre-war government to mobilize people to a hopeless war. IRE was abolished as a symbolic concept of Imperial rule and to establish people’s sovereignty in post-war Japan. Respect for parents, brotherhood or good relationship with friends has already been discussed without IRE in the classes of morality. Abe administration is highly interested in sneaking into individual mind.

Ignoring Local Law

In the unilateral construction of new United States Marine Air Base in Henoko, Okinawa, the license of destroying rock reef issued by Governor of Okinawa was expired at the end of March. The government of Japan is ignoring the demand of Governor Takeshi Onaga to renew the license, unilaterally interpreting the local law as not requiring license. As the national government rejects persuasive effort to local government, rule of law does not work in this issue.

One week after the decision of Supreme Court that regarded the cancellation of license for landfill in Henoko by the Governor as illegal, Ministry of Defense resumed the construction of new base last December. The ministry dropped 228 concrete blocks into the sea for settling fence on them to contain muddy water. Onaga has been criticizing the ministry of its unilateral procedure without consent of local government.

The license for rock reef destruction is different from that for landfill. A local law in Okinawa determines that a construction causing change of landform of the seabed needs Governor’s license. The Government of Japan argues that it does not need renewal of the license, because Nago Fishery Cooperative, covering the coastal area around Henoko, has abandoned the interest for fishery this January. Ministry of Defense ignored the order of Governor to stop the construction late March.

Onaga realizes the activities of Japanese government as significant violation of law. There are two possible actions from Onaga. One is to file a lawsuit against the construction by Japanese government. Governor sets right for fishery resources on specific sea area. Onaga argues that the right cannot be cancelled only with renunciation by fishermen’s cooperative and it remains.

Another action would be withdrawal of license for landfill. The cancellation of that license in 2015 was based on illegality of the issuance by former governor. The withdrawal would be stemming from “significant violation” of law by Japanese government continuing the construction without renewal of license. Onaga thinks that the reasoning will stand, if the construction is continued after expiration of the license.

Japanese government maintains its argument that the construction is legally right even after the expiration. The government is taking steps forward to seawall construction this month. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, reiterates that Japan is a rule-abiding country and stresses legitimacy of the policy for relocating Futenma Marine Air Base to Henoko. However, it is Japanese government that ignores local law in Okinawa, which is legislated with the provision on autonomy in Constitution of Japan.

New Lifting of Evacuation Order

The government of Japan lifted evacuation order to the residents in three towns and a village around First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant at the end of March or April 1^st. Although the area of evacuation order shrank to 30% from the level of right after the severe accident in 2011, only one resident out of ten is expected to return home. The government is going to cut off the support for the people who do not return home, while they are able to.

The evacuation order was applied to eleven cities, towns or villages right after the accident. The government started lifting the order in April 2014 with reason that decontamination in the area had made progress. With the lifting evacuation order this spring, 32 thousand residents were allowed to go home. Among total 52,370 residents allowed to go back, only 8.6% of then has been registered to the returners.

Why don’t they go back home? It is easy. It is because infrastructure of their life in hometown has not been rebuilt, even how the government informs them progress of decontamination. Doctors have not returned to their local hospital or clinic. Schools are mostly empty with reluctance of residents to return home, being afraid of negative impact of radiation on their children. Six years after the severe accident, the evacuees have settled in the cities they actually live now.

To maintain their hometown anyhow, the local governments welcome the workers for decommissioning the broken reactors in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant as new residents. The national government promotes Innovation Coast Initiative, which will build new accumulation of research institute for the decommissioning or development in robot technology. Town of Tomioka, located in the south of the plant, was successful in inviting new research institute, in compensation with accepting final processing of contaminated grasses or ashes.

Those new residents of workers in the nuclear plant cause friction with the natives. While only 818 native residents have returned home in Naraha Town, about 1,500 workers live in the town now. The natives are frustrated with the manner of new residents not to abide by the rule for disposal of garbage, which causes mess with wildlife like boars or crows. The arrest of plant workers who thieved bicycle made the old residents feeling uneasy.

Fukushima Prefectural Government ended support for the rent of voluntary evacuees in March. Reducing the burden of unprecedented severe nuclear accident is one of the top agenda of Japanese government. To improve financial balance of national budget, the evacuees are left behind with pressure to go back home.