politics

Abe brushes off fears of threats to civil rights by conspiracy bill

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“In the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, it’s the duty of the host country to expend every effort in tackling terrorism,” he said.

If you are so worried about the security risks posed by hosting the Olympics that you feel the need to stomp on the rights of the people of Japan, you should never have made a bid in the first place!

9 ( +11 / -2 )

“It is completely unnecessary to be concerned that (the bill will lead to) investigative bodies watching the public’s movements,”

What arrogance to say something like that! Of course they are going to watch the public's movements, how else can they ferret out these so called terrorists. And since when did organized crime become a terrorist threat, I'm no big fan of the Yakuza, but I don't think they are out plotting to blow up Nagatacho or anything like that.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Abe brushes off fears of threats to civil rights by conspiracy bill

“Orthodoxy means not thinking–not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Democratic Party leader Renho questioned in a party meeting on Thursday why the ruling parties have prioritized passing the conspiracy bill over a bill to toughen penalties for sex offenses.

It seems they have their priorities mixed up. They are more concerned about international terrorism, which has never happened in Japan than the domestic terror women face in Japan every day.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

It is completely unnecessary to be concerned that the bill will lead to investigative bodies watching the public movements....

That's your statement to a hundred million plus people's? You do not tell me what is necessary or unnecessary when it comes to my concerns. Or do I have it wrong? Am I a subject of the state? Maybe I should reread my constitution.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Abe brushes off fears of threats to civil rights by conspiracy bill

Just like he arrogantly brushes off everything else.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Surely, "planning terrorism and similar acts," as the wording of the proposed bill states, is already a crime under current laws. Isn't there already a conspiracy to commit murder charge under the current legal system?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If we had the conspiracy law, Aum Sarin case would not have been avoided.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

And as I predicted less than a month ago, the school scandal is something for the historical archives. Opposition? More like career seat fillers. Disgusting!!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It is completely unnecessary to be concerned that (the bill will lead to) investigative bodies watching the public’s movements,”

Spoken like a true fascist.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The link to The 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympics, or measures to combat terrorism, the curbs to organised crime, are a sham, a ruse, all based on a absolutely false premise. Existing legislation is adequate enough to counter any threat to this nations security.

This ruling LDP government is arrogantly, though subterfuge and fear mongering politically assembling a jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece, bill by bill, until the method and means exist to radically change Japans constitution.

Society is being duped, the media and broadcasters who oppose and question these bills are being threatened and silenced. Reforms to education refuse to recognise that hankering for return to Japans imperialist past will hasten political and economic collapse.

Abe san cabinet is a cabal of aging dogmatic blinkered narrow minded ideology, and Tomomi Inada, an unashamedly entrenched nationalist, who deserves a category all of her own. All have a single overriding agenda, the entrenched obsession to maintain a tight grip on power at any cost.

Opposition parties are partly to blame, lacking the necessary experience, the political skill sets that should have brought successive LDP administrations to task. Absent is the unrelenting ruthlessness to harangue and challenge that defines a opposition ready to govern, to lead and deliver change.

I see in senior family members, the tell tale acceptance that the LDP as a party, has always provided stability oblivious to the actual dangers or deficiencies the policies of ruling government advocates. A current generation frustrating willingness to accept political and economic mediocrity. All their hard work in school sacrificed at the altar of a mundane prospect of dead man shoes advancement. What a utter waste.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

“In the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, it’s the duty of the host country to expend every effort in tackling >>terrorism,”

Japan has already all the necessary power to tackle terrorism, only under ABE, Olympics games are used as a reason to push fascist laws.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” ― George Orwell, 1984

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The question is what is the REAL reason they are introducing these laws ? It's not just in Japan either. Could it be that all Western governments are preparing for a SHTF scenario with laws already in place to mute and control the masses ? Fascism is already here !

4 ( +5 / -1 )

What is truly surprising is most people have no idea how low ranked Japan is in terms of freedom. If you go hit the web and search for "freedom of press" and "freedom of speech" rankings, you will find Japan ranked very very low on this compared to most western countries. Depending on the list and who is doing the ranking, they tend to be around 50th. Much lower than North Americans and European countries. Laws like the one in this article are really pretty typical with the type of power Japan already has over its people and the media. The freedom people have in Japan is very much an overstated illusion. Have you never wondered why you never see ANY programs on TV that are critical of the J-gov like you would see on the UK, even BBC, or on the USA (Daily Show, Vice, Tonight Show, documentary after documentary). Japan is perfect and you are never allowed to say otherwise, now they need to spy on us to make sure we don't think so otherwise.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"ordinary people won’t be subject to punishment.”

Except that when ordinary people disagree with anything the government is doing and want to make a stand, they're no longer considered ordinary citizens in the eyes of this law!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Abe has a very limited imagination if he thinks a law that allows the police to eavesdrop and spy on Everyone in search of Terrorists is not going to result in innocent people being rounded up and sent to camps because they disagree with the government on any given subject. A person with a limited imagination (perhaps a sign of limited intelligence) has no place being the leader of anyone let alone 120 million people.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The Japanese police already illegally monitor certain political groups and organisations, without punishment, therefore Abe's glib assertion that “It is completely unnecessary to be concerned that (the bill will lead to) investigative bodies watching the public’s movements,” is already false.

I can say with certainty that they won't be watching the fascist groups and other supporters of Abe.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"It seems they have their priorities mixed up. They are more concerned about international terrorism, which has never happened in Japan than the domestic terror women face in Japan every day."

saw this on another website:http://www.fu--kedgaijin.com/

"Woe to people who import to Japan for a living:

Import item : tissue paper :

Clearance is pending completion of examination of shipment paperwork. Clearance will resume once completion of tissue paper examination. A representative shall attempt to contact the importer or shipper if required."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Correct message: If we had the conspiracy law, Aum Sarin case would have been avoided. Sorry

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Abe brushes off anything he doesn't like and passes it anyway; restarting nukes, "reinterpreting" the Constitution, denying proof of wrong doing, you name it. He's the same as North Korean dictator.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Correct message: If we had the conspiracy law, Aum Sarin case would have been avoided. Sorry

That's a HUGE assumption here, the cops never had an eye (seriously) on Aum until AFTER the sarin attacks and they became suspicious.

But this is a great example of how the law may work, Adelph and Hikari no Wa, off shoots of the original Aum, are still in existence and are being monitored by law enforcement agencies today.

Those two groups have been designated as terrorist groups by the US and other governments, and it will be interesting to see how Japan uses this law against them.

Also if Abe does NOT use the power to break the Yaks then this is all a hypocritical farce.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

if Abe does NOT use the power to break the Yaks then this is all a hypocritical farce, going on precedent the farce will not just continue but spiral further

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Basis of "conspiracy or not" is still vague. Questionable conspiracy law will increase false arrests or innocent victim.

Japanese who support conspiracy law are extreme-right who cheer patriot education.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Unfortunately, the question of whether 277 crimes is the correct number aside, a fair reading of the relevant UN convention DOES say some criminalization of conspiracy where it doesn't already exist is required. It is very much a convention to "fight crime", and concerns about human rights are not really in its remit. In fact, the phrase "human rights" does not appear the Convention proper at all.

Some of the proposed strategies by the opposition is in that sense, hypocritical. They actually proposed Japan deliberately not implement the clear meaning of the text, and even referred to this practice as "correct in a sense." I think this sudden turn is very hypocritical since at no other time would those people support such a delay..

So perhaps the real fault is not in the Japanese government, but in all of humanity throwing their human rights to the fire.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japanese Abe Govt is trying to increase "obedient nation people" by problematic conspiracy law and patriotic education like prewar.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Look at the patriot act in the states and the anti-terror,crime and security act in the uk, and how these have been used more against the populations freedoms than in The War Against Terror.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Don't think the oppressed people of Okinawa are going to go to ego-centric Tokyo and become suicide bombers. No opposition so the dude can pass anything he likes if America agrees.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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