Japan passes controversial anti-terror law
JAPAN passed a controversial anti-terror law yesterday that critics warned would stomp on privacy rights and lead to overthe-top police surveillance.
Thousands protested outside the legislature after a full night of debate by sleepy parliamentarians and unsuccessful efforts by Japan’s weak opposition to block the law’s passage.
The government said the law, which criminalises the planning of serious offences, is necessary to prevent terrorism ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
It doesn’t give police new powers, but critics say it could be abused to allow wiretapping of innocent citizens and threaten privacy and freedom of expres- sion guarantees in the constitution.
Terrorism “won’t disappear because of this law”, said 29-year-old demonstrator Yohei Sakano outside parliament.
“It’s mostly designed to crack down on citizens’ movements, not terrorism.”
Retired government worker Toshiaki Noguchi added: “We’re turning into a society of censorship.”
Tokyo insists the law – which calls for a prison term of up to five years for planning serious crimes – is a prerequisite for implementing a UN treaty against transnational organised crime which Japan signed in 2000.
The bill was revised several times over the years as earlier versions met with fierce resistance and never made it through parliament. The latest version reduced the number of targeted crimes to around 270 offences and narrowed the definition of terrorist and criminal organisations. Earlier versions encompassed more than 600 crimes, many unrelated to terrorism or crime syndicates.
The opposition has warned that petty crimes could fall under the scope of the law, and mocked Japan’s justice minister when he earlier conceded that, hypothetically, mushroom hunting could be targeted if the fungi were stolen to raise money to fund terrorism.
“What comes next will probably be legislation allowing police to wiretap and eavesdrop on telephone and every day conversations,” said Setsu Kobayashi, a constitutional expert and professor emeritus at Keio University.