Experts are concerned that the new policies to streamline data handling between the local and central governments will dilute personal information protections previously established by local governments and may enable increased government surveillance.11 Following her death, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications announced her intention to amend the Provider Liability Limitation Law (see C4).5 Amid rising concerns over misinformation online - including surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, especially vaccines - Americans are now a bit more open to the idea of the U.S. government taking steps to restrict false information online.And a majority of the public continues to favor technology companies taking such action, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. : spring pictures) that are banned in present-day Japan and were printed and published in the USA. Under the amended law, an individual can request the court to disclose information about a sender who posted defamatory content. The future of an independent NHK is crucial given the increasing demand for impartial, objective and trusted sources of information. Law enforcement requests for this data should be supported by a warrant.4 The constitutional right to secrecy of communications is also protected under telecommunications laws.2 An online petition that received 145,000 signatures called for the resignation of the chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Yoshiro Mori, after he made sexist comments. In this scenario, an ISP could give the complainant information to identify the postersuch as their name or IP addresswithout that persons consent, raising privacy concerns. Does the online information landscape lack diversity and reliability? The court indicated that points such as the content of the search results, the scope of disclosure, the social status of the persons involved, the social situation, and the necessity of disclosing facts were critical in deciding whether search engine results should be removed.13 The law gives a range of officials the discretion to indefinitely restrict public information pertaining to national security.2 Some Japanese security agencies may have equipment enabling the blanket collection and monitoring of communications data, though it is unclear how such technology has been used, what laws govern its employment, and what, if any, safeguards there are. Japan has three major mobile operatorsau, a KDDI brand; NTT Docomo; and SoftBank. Depictions of genitalia are pixelated to obscure them for internet users based on a commonthough poorly articulatedinterpretation of Article 175 of the penal code, which governs obscenity.7 Genshin Impact quietly announced a somewhat odd change right before patch 2.4 launched this week. Finally, the amendments established the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) as an independent authority under the Cabinet Office, replacing the Consumer Affairs Agency.8, Changes to the legal frameworks surrounding privacy and surveillance are often considered in the ongoing digitization of citizens personal records. During the same period, Twitter received 16,648 requests for content removal.6 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 Share Share. which attempts to crack the passwords of about 200 million internet-connected devices in homes and offices, starting with webcams, routers, and sensors, in order to better secure vulnerable devices with stronger passwords. In February of that year, the Cabinet Office reportedly sent a letter demanding that the reporter be restricted from asking questions at press events. While Article 21 of the Constitution of Japan guarantees freedom of expression and prohibits formal censorship, effective censorship of obscene content does exist and is justified by the Article 175 of the Criminal Code of Japan.Historically, the law has been interpreted in different waysrecently it has been . Do state or nonstate actors employ legal, administrative, or other means to force publishers, content hosts, or digital platforms to delete content, particularly material that is protected by international human rights standards? Despite promises that the program will not target phones and personal computers, critics have expressed privacy concerns (see C5). The individuals defense team plans to file an appeal.8. Internet censorship is the suppression of information online or access to the internet by a regulatory body. Does the government place restrictions on anonymous communication or encryption? Are there laws that assign criminal penalties or civil liability for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? Are there legal, regulatory, or economic obstacles that restrict the diversity of service providers? Users rarely face physical and offline harassment in relation to their online activities. In June 2020, the founder of news site Independent Web Journal, Yasumi Iwakami, had his appeal dismissed regarding a fine he was required to pay for allegedly defaming former Osaka prefectural governor, Toru Hashimoto. Google reported 145 requests for user data between January and June 2020 and produced some data in 83 percent of cases.16 Individuals who have criticized the ruling LDP and the government have also faced targeted harassment. Individuals can generally use the internet anonymously in Japan. Increasingly, however, if we want to find direct government censorship of speech, we don't have to travel far. A week after the petition launched, it was revealed that Mori would resign as the head of the Olympic Organizing Committee.3, Women in Japan have also mobilized online through the #KuToo movement, which opposes a requirement that women wear high heels in the workplace. However, several cases of online harassment were documented during the coverage period. In April 2021, Reporters Without Borders also criticized the kisha club system in their annual World Press Freedom Index.4. 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. The 2013 My Number law introduced a unique 12-digit number for all long-term residents used to access unified social welfare services and taxation purposes. In April 2019, the Macnica Networks Corporation, an information-technology trading firm, stated that groups reportedly connected to China were suspected of targeting private companies; it cited alleged efforts by Chinese cyberespionage group APT10 to hack Japanese defense companies in 2018.6, In January 2020, the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation disclosed that that it experienced massive cyberattacks in June 2019. 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). These included interactive maps to share public information about disaster relief,1 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 The book also examines the conflict between the obscenity law, introduced in Meiji times when Japan was importing Western models, and the freedom of speech law, which was put in place by the US occupation administration after World War II. Government statistics show that the average cost of internet access for households with two or more people across Japan in 2020 was 3,601 ($34.59) compared with 3,753 ($36.05) in 2017.2 However, in June 2018, Okamoto Kenichiro, known as Hagex online, was murdered in Fukuoka after presenting a seminar on best practices to deal with online disagreements and abuse, among other topics.7 The original case was brought after a 2010 leak of police documents revealed that Muslims were subject to widespread monitoring for possible terrorist activity. 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. 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). YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and international blog-hosting services are freely available, as are popular local platforms like Niconico, the video-sharing site, and LINE, a chat application that was launched in Japan in 2011. You will go to prison. The panel allegedly suspended its efforts to draft the legislation in October 2018 after failing to reach consensus on whether the blocking would violate the constitutional right to secrecy of communications.5, ISPs voluntarily filter child sexual abuse images, and many offer parents the option to filter certain other content to protect young internet users.6 Once the SIA receives a report, it will either file a police report or make a request for removal to the relevant domestic or overseas provider.18. These distinctions, however, are not perfect. We're doing our best to get things working smoothly! Censorship of pornography in Japan, be it animated, photographed or filmed, has always been superficial, focusing on blocking out or blurring the sex organs. 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 (Feb. 22, 2021) On December 30, 2020, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin signedFederal Law No. In response, hashtags such as Tokyo Shimbun reporter restricted from asking questions, toward a country where we can freely ask questions, and we have the right to know trended on Twitter.9 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 Offenders can face prison sentences of up to three years or fines as large as 500,000 ($4,534), and third-party distribution can draw up to a years imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 ($2,720).14 Japanese individuals, particularly women, have used the internet to protest against gender-based discrimination and effect tangible change. The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has shocked Japan, a country with one of the world's lowest rates of gun crime due to its strict laws on gun ownership. and the online organization of large demonstrations and protests against nuclear energy. 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 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. Implementation guidelines for the law described four main fields of state secretsdefense, diplomacy, counterintelligence, and counterterrorismwhich are further divided into 55 categories.2, Other laws prescribe potentially disproportionate penalties for online activity. In January 2021, the three major mobile phone companies launched new low-cost plans, after decades of pressure from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.3 If a device is successfully hacked, its owner will be advised to strengthen security measures, for instance by making their passwords more complex. Many experts have indicated their concern about ambiguous components of the law that could be abused. The China . In the United States, codified law can be found at all jurisdictional levels, and may control the outcome of a dispute. After a three-month delay in rollout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rakuten Mobile launched 5G services in September 2020.4 One thing that's quickly noticeable is how Japanese adult videos are censored. In January 2021, the revised Copyright Act, which criminalizes the downloading of unlicensed manga, magazines, and academic publications, took effect. There are some known cases of the government or powerful groups proactively manipulating online news or other content. Today, however, this concept is, in our view, distorted and fought against. An online petition in support of the journalist also gathered more than 17,000 signatures.10. A new law makes "online insults" punishable with jail time! After NTT Docomo became a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT in December 2020,4 Under the law, all online dating services must register with the police, verify their customers ages with a drivers license or credit card, and delete or block content that appears to involve someone under 18; most services voluntarily monitor messages in real time to ensure compliance. In March 2020, the government approved a revision of the Copyright Act, criminalizing the downloading of unlicensed manga, magazines, and academic publications with a prison term of up to two years, a fine of 2 million ($18,000), or both. In February 2019, civil society groups and ordinary users issued a joint statement asking the MIC to suspend the program,5 In 2016, the IHC began providing reports to Safe-line, a website maintained by the SIA.17 While users have a choice of providers for internet services, certain companies dominate the market. Media scrutiny of reportage involving the 2011 disaster has continued. Donald Trump's claim that his anti-BDS order "targets antisemitism" was presented as fact in the New York Times headline ( 12/10/19 . The society at large prefers harmony, and people avoid criticizing the role of Japans emperor, especially when connected with historical events like World War II. In May 2021, the Diet enacted the Digital Reform Bill, which streamlines how officials in Japan handle and share data and revises how personal data is protected under the law. Asymmetric regulation, which creates stricter rules for providers with a higher market share, has helped diversify the industry.6, Beginning in 2014, the government required mobile service providers to unlock SIM cards at user request; this has made it easier for users to switch providers and use third-party prepaid SIM cards.7 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 There are periodic reports of arrests under the copyright law, which carries possible prison terms for both uploading and downloading content without the permission of the copyright owner (see C2). There are few obstacles to internet access, no blocks on websites, and the legal framework provides strong protections for various forms of expression. Look at western porn, the most fucked up shit that they make is incest and adults that looks like teens, in the other hand Japanese porn has the most fucked ul shit that you can ever see in porn, from rape to gruesome torture and pedophilia, just to show how the dumbness of governments is unlimited. A 2016 law outlined measures that authorities could take to educate the public about hate speech, while also combating such speech when directed against people of overseas origin and their descendants.4 Internet freedom continued to improve in Japan during this reporting period. Japans Supreme Court protects privacy in part through its interpretation of Article 13 of the constitution, which provides for the right to life and liberty.1 Masayuki Nakamoto, 43, was said to have made about 11 million yen ($96,000) from peddling over 10,000 processed porn clips, and was formally accused of selling ten hardcore photos for 2,300 yen ($20). Twitter complied with 29.4 percent of the requests.7. It is a point of pride in the US that freedom of speech is written into the Constitution. 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. LINE reported that 80 percent of the global law enforcement requests for user data that it received between July and December 2020 came from Japanese entities. Heightened awareness of nonconsensual sharing of intimate images and online harassment culminated in the adoption of a law criminalizing such activity in 2014. Japan has a diverse online landscape. Internet caf users are required to produce formal identification documents such as a drivers license, and to register their name and address. Connectivity for households in the heavily populated Kant region, which includes Tokyo, costs nearly 1,300 ($12.49) more per month than in the least expensive regions, Tohokuin the northeast.3 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. 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 Some companies offer free Wi-Fi, including the private company Wire and Wireless (Wi2), part of the KDDI group, which provides free internet access in restaurants, coffee shops, and train stations; registration requires an email address.6 Service providers and other technology companies can be required to aid the government in monitoring the communications of their users. However, some digital activities require separate registration. Sharp regional cost disparities exist; service was more expensive in Japans major cities in 2020, with customers paying an average of 3,835 ($36.89) per month. In April 2018, the government asked internet service providers (ISPs) to block manga piracy sites, including Mangamura, AniTube!, and MioMio, prompting a public debate that highlighted tensions between the protection of intellectual property on one hand and users rights to private communications and the constitutional ban on censorship on the other.2 The J-NSC remained active during the coverage period.2. In 2002, industry associations produced guidelines designed to protect ISPs from legal liability within the jurisdiction of the Japanese courts. In this case, a man asked Google to remove search results documenting a crime he committed over five years earlier.11 The Act on Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile Phones (2005) requires mobile voice communication carriers to verify the identity of subscribers when a contract was terminated or transferred, in order to prevent a situation in which cell phone subscribers cannot be identified. Japanese courts continue to uphold strict criteria for delisting search results on major platforms. A number of laws regulate online activity, including by imposing civil and criminal liability. Independent online media and citizen media outlets have faced obstacles in their work, particularly due to the prevalence of the kisha club, or formal press association, system. The PS4 launched in 2013, but Japan's release came afterward. In 2017, several municipalities asked for a clearer definition of hate speech under the law.7 YouTubers and Instagram personalities have also become increasingly influential in recent years. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Docomo, KDDI, and SoftBank all launched commercial fifth-generation (5G) services in March 2020.3 Japans telecommunications infrastructure is advanced, and there have been no reports of the government deliberately disconnecting telecommunications service. Does the government exercise technical or legal control over internet infrastructure for the purposes of restricting connectivity? However, the LDP ultimately decided not to submit a bill on LGBT+ equality due to strong opposition by some conservative lawmakers.8, In early 2019, users rallied behind a Tokyo Shimbun reporter who was targeted by the government. Do conditions impede users ability to mobilize, form communities, and campaign, particularly on political and social issues? This law doesn't make any sense and it just have the opposite effect. No citizens faced politically motivated arrest or prosecution for their online activity during the coverage period. In February 2020, the Defense Ministry reported that some sensitive information may have been leaked as the result of the Mitsubishi breach.8 Acknowledging that "one might think this is simply conjecture by the ACE Economic Research Center," Yasuda then cited five specific Western-oriented changes he believed were instrumental in contributing to the brand's slow march towards self-destruction: 1. Just as in ancient Grecian communities, the Roman ideal of good governance included shaping the character of the people. The bill allows users to download image-based material or certain forms of academic content that is meant for private use.6 Customers in small cities, towns, and villages paid an average monthly price of nearly 3,024 ($29.04). The platform provided data in 42 percent of cases.17. The court stated that removal of information can be demanded only when privacy protection concerns clearly outweigh the publics interest in the disclosure of information online.12 The Tokyo-based Safer Internet Association (SIA) reported that it was asked to manage over 7,276 cases of nonconsensual sharing of intimate images in 2019 and secured the deletion of the content in 6,771 (93 percent) of those cases.2, Previously, inflammatory, nationalist speech targeting Japanese residents of Korean origin and other minority groups was also subject to removal. The Hungarian winner of the MTV EMA Generation Change Award says an anti-LGBTQ law passed in June is enticing 'fear and censorship.' Hungarian MTV Award Winner on Life Under Country's LGBTQ Law . This code sets the age of consent for sexual activity at 13 for girls and 14 for boys, and it has remained unchanged since then. Chinese groups BlackTech and Tick were reportedly behind the breaches.7 For example, the Jiminto (LDP) Net Supporters Club (J-NSC), organized in 2010, had about 19,000 members as of 2017. Security agents and the military were accused of conducting illegal surveillance in cases involving national security in 2003 and 2004.13 In one significant instance, government officials and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) withheld data about pollution after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. They include televisions Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization and the Internet Content Safety Association, which manages the blocking of child sexual abuse images online.2 Observers argue that the industry has generally improved since the MIC was established in 2001, which resulted from the merger of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and the governments Management and Coordination Agency.1, Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) supported by the relevant companies in these three sectors perform a self-regulatory function. In June 2018, police announced that they arrested 16 website operators for allegedly using a service called Coinhive to mine cryptocurrencies via visitors computers without their consent.4 It can be done by various methods and for a range of justifications. There are concerns that disclosure requests will be misused as a means to suppress the transmission of information.4. Individuals and public figures who break this social convention risk censure and even attacks from right-wing extremists, who notoriously attempted to assassinate the mayor of Nagasaki on these grounds in 1990. Do infrastructural limitations restrict access to the internet or the speed and quality of internet connections? The Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets came into force in 2014, despite objections from the opposition, civil society, and protesters. In April 2021, a bill was unanimously passed and enacted in the Diet which amends the Provider Liability Limitation Act to make it easier to identify users who allegedly slander people on the internet. 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. Censorship by the government is unconstitutional. In a 2015 lawsuit, the Tokyo High Court ordered Yahoo Japan to delete 11 search results that linked a mans name to criminal behavior. In November 2018, the amended Telecommunications Business Act and the Act on the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) came into effect.3 A 2014 law addressed the issue of content removal and intimate images shared without consent (see B2 and C2). Osakas ordinance authorized the public identification of groups that disseminate hate speech, defined as communication which defames and aims to exclude a particular group based on race or ethnicity, including through online transmission, according to news reports.16
