Kawasaki enacts Japan's 1st bill punishing hate speech

And we are in 2019 soon in 2020. Tells a lot on how fast this country is moving.....

Some deluded people will refer to this 'leading down a rabbit hole', as though by denying their right to be racists we are somehow curtailing their freedom.

To them I say you still have the right to be whatever you want, just not a bile-spewing racist one. Stay home and shout at your TV instead.

I just hope it gets onto the statute books and is upheld by officials.

I just hope it gets onto the statute books and is upheld by officials.

LMAO!! Maybe in an alternate reality. But here's to hoping!

S

What a step in the wrong direction. Politics nor government has a right to infringe on how or what people feel or do. This is called oppression and against human right against speech. If someone doesn't like what they hear, tune it out and just move on. It worked for well over 5000 yr, why change it now for political correctness. If someone has bad manners it is not for the law to change them or take that basic free speech away.

yeah this was definitely needed. I know people in Japan speak ill of Koreans, but driving by with speakers with racist nutjobs who had no life except to attack the Koreans, used to be commonplace here. It was a dangerous time. That crap aint cool.

Chipstar:

Some deluded people will refer to this 'leading down a rabbit hole', as though by denying their right to be racists we are somehow curtailing their freedom.

And these some deluded people are correct. Free speech is the most important thing a free society has. Curb that, and you are going down the rabbit hole. And free speech includes speech that other people dislike.

Now you hate what I am saying.... should you be able to run to the authorities and have me punished? I surely hope not.

What a step in the wrong direction. Politics nor government has a right to infringe on how or what people feel or do. This is called oppression and against human right against speech. If someone doesn't like what they hear, tune it out and just move on. It worked for well over 5000 yr, why change it now for political correctness. If someone has bad manners it is not for the law to change them or take that basic free speech away.

No one is stopping people from expressing themselves. But if you do and it is considered personally offensive, then you may be fined. If you want to spew garbage and not be fined, then do it in privacy where people won't be offended by your lack of education, cultural awareness, and idiocy.

So by all means, spew away garbage mouth. Just keep enough on your person to pay the fine.

It's ironic how the usual crowd out there are blindly applauding this, when they themselves engage in what amounts to hate speech against the country of Japan and its people. Such as baseless and false accusations of non-apologies for past transgressions and indoctrination of a right-wing altered version of its history taught to its school children, for examples.

It is also ironic that these same people believe in freedom of speech anywhere else in the world but Japan. Notice these people condone and applaud South Koreans whenever they engage in activities like march in public against Japan, ban Japanese products, burn Japanese flags, say hateful and ignorant things against Japanese, etc. Yet, now it's laudable that hate speech is going to be punished in Kawasaki. When's the last time an ethnic Korean was assaulted on the streets based on the ongoing frictions with South Korea (a Japanese citizen was assaulted in South Korea)?

Any person that truly values the human condition and society would embrace freedom of speech universally. It is indeed a slippery slope, don't let anyone convince you otherwise. We have seen this at work in Japan itself. On several occasions in Japan, right wing demonstrators were confronted in public by anti-racist Japanese. By allowing hate speech, no matter how vile, it allows others who disagree to equally voice their opinion. That's how a proper democracy and society works.

Govt deciding what is appropriate speech, that will never go wrong.

Bigotry and hate speech leads to violence. I'm all for curbing it.

No one is stopping people from expressing themselves. But if you do and it is considered personally offensive, then you may be fined. 

You do understand that those are two opposing statements? That's like saying saying we have freedom of speech, but if you say the wrong thing you will be arrested.

Congratulations! A step in the right direction for a harmonious society

Japan is a harmonious society. It does not need a curb on freedom of speech . This is a slippery slope to be on. Political correctness gone mad. I dont imagine this will ever be a national law.

Notice these people condone and applaud South Koreans whenever they engage in activities like march in public against Japan, ban Japanese products, burn Japanese flags, say hateful and ignorant things against Japanese, etc. Yet, now it's laudable that hate speech is going to be punished in Kawasaki. When's the last time an ethnic Korean was assaulted on the streets based on the ongoing frictions with South Korea (a Japanese citizen was assaulted in South Korea)?

Brilliantly argued as always, old man! Many of these ignoramuses cheers on news of anti-Japan rallies in Korea, Koreans saying nasty things about PM Abe, blanket bans on Japanese beer etc. Ignoring the fact these things are hateful to Japanese people and hurt their feelings.

US, where many Japanese are victimized, needs to catch up with this  . . . .

The problem with all 'hate speech' laws is that they are fundamentally incoherent and incompatible with a democratic society. Inarticulate people who lack intelligence, education and sophistication must still be allowed to participate in the political process by putting forward ideas, even if the only way they can express themselves is considered uncouth for the rest of us.

The truth is that every hateful or repugnant idea can be rephrased by a sophisticated speaker in a way that places it firmly within the bounds of protected speech. For example, even in Germany you can't be fined or arrested for proposing a second Holocaust as long as you carefully preface your proposal with: "Our democratically elected representatives should examine whether the law should be amended to allow for...{insert repugnant idea}". The same is inevitably true in Japan and every other democracy.

When you understand this, you really must question why these laws even exist. They are based entirely on bad faith. Why not just interpret every statement charitably with a view to the political proposals that lay behind them? We are effectively criminalising a lack of intelligence and legal sophistication when we prosecute someone under these sorts of laws.

Now you hate what I am saying.... should you be able to run to the authorities and have me punished? I surely hope not.

What a bizarre thing to say. That would be 'Hated speech' wouldn't it? If you were to read the article you might have a better idea of what Kawasaki is aiming to achieve; "Hate speech targeting ethnic minorities in Japan has included threats to kill people of certain nationalities and extreme insults or remark".

Do you want more or less of this kind of thing?

It's ironic how the usual crowd out there are blindly applauding this, when they themselves engage in what amounts to hate speech against the country of Japan and its people.

Ironic that the man who cries about 'Japan haters' now hates something that is happening in Japan. Criticism of things that occur in Japan is not "hate speech". Hate speech would be racially insulting them and threatening them with violence. So here we are praising Kawasaki for introducing this, are we still Japan haters? Aren't you now the Japan hater for hating what Kawasaki is doing?

By allowing hate speech, no matter how vile, it allows others who disagree to equally voice their opinion. That's how a proper democracy and society works.

Yes, it worked wonderfully for the Jews in Nazi Germany or half of Asia under Japanese control. Within a decade of "not going down that rabbit hole" they were being rounded up and exterminated. The same 'freedom' to abuse and threaten people also didn't go down well in Rwanda, the Balkans, Myanmar, or any number of places where right wing nationalists are given free rein to act with impunity against minorities.

Brilliantly argued as always, old man!

Are you talking to yourself again?

Jtsnose: "US, where many Japanese are victimized, needs to catch up with this . . . ."

What on earth are you on about? The US has a very serious problem with racism, to the point of violence and even mass shootings pretty much always carried out by white supremacists, against blacks, Muslims, Jews, and others. There is no such sentiment towards the Japanese. If anything, there is a mild neglect or a failure to recognize the differences between Chinese and Japanese cultures, but you'd be pretty hard pressed to find examples of people targeted because they are Japanese, unlike here people being targeted because they are foreigners.

This is a baby step, but one in the right direction. It should be immediately punished, not punishABLE, however, with zero tolerance, and it should be increased from 500,000 to 5,000,000 if repeated thereafter, plus prison time. If the person or people responsible for the hate speech that group should be outlawed immediately, and possibly placed on an international terror watch list. And enough with the black trucks already. That is the easiest place to start.

Dear S. Korea,

Please pass a law just like this one in your country.

I constantly hear hate speech, bias, racism against Japanese. Tourist have been attacked, beheadings of dolls with Abe face ISIS style by angry Koreans. Setting Japanese flags on fire, both flags not only just the Rising Sun Flag.

Korean kids sending letters to Japanese schools telling them Takeshima is Korean land.

The hate speech against Japan is reaching a boiling point in your country.

The new ordinance enacted in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, to enter into force on July 1, bans discriminatory language and actions against those from countries or regions other than Japan in public spaces

> Hate speech targeting ethnic minorities in Japan has included threats to kill people of certain nationalities and extreme insults or remarks.

The key of this Kawasaki ordinance is, as obvious as any one can see, one way. When hate speech, discriminatory language, extreme insults or remarks are made to ethnic minorities. Stupid as some lawyers pushing this ordinance claim it does not constitute hate speech not discrimination when made to Japanese.

Good job done Kawasaki city. I am proud of you.

Don't discriminate; hate everybody.

I think it's great that government officials are letting locals know that they don't approved of overt public displays of obviously hateful speech. But, legal punishment of such is always wrong. Such laws usually end up being abused to silence democratically warranted criticism.

"Hate speech targeting ethnic minorities in Japan has included threats to kill people of certain nationalities and extreme insults or remark".

We aren’t talking about playground jibes here. You are still free to hate ‘libtards’ or ‘SJWs’ or whoever you like. You are also still free to hate Koreans or not buy their beer. You just aren’t allowed to threaten or racially abuse them.

You just aren’t allowed to threaten or racially abuse them.

As for threatening, a criminal punishment called intimidation　already exist.

As for racially abusing, There's no logical reasoning to make this ordinance one way only.

as for racially abusing, There's no logical reasoning to make this ordinance one way only.

It isn't one way. Nobody is allowed to racially abuse or threaten you either. The ordinance covers you too. Why wouldn't it?

How is it possible that so many people commenting here haven't actually read the article?

It isn't one way. Nobody is allowed to racially abuse or threaten you either. The ordinance covers you too. Why wouldn't it?

How is it possible that so many people commenting here haven't actually read the article?

It seems you are the one who's not updated.

採決に当たって自民は「日本国民への差別的言動が認められる場合、罰則の改正も含め必要な措置を講ずる」とする付帯決議を提案していたが、日本国民への差別的言動が立法事実として存在しないことや拡大解釈されて権力の乱用につながる危険性から各会派が反対。意見をすり合わせた結果、「本邦外出身者以外の市民に差別的言動による著しい人権侵害が認められる場合、必要な措置を検討する」に修正され、共産を除く賛成多数で採択された。

　条例案に対し「罰則は表現の自由を侵害する恐れがある」「本邦出身者を差別するもので憲法違反」などとする陳情が５件出されていたが、いずれも否決された。

https://www.kanaloco.jp/article/entry-214941.html

I hardly post comments relying only on what JT reports

@show thanks for the link, interesting. A translation for other readers would have been useful. Here's what I got from it

If discrimination against Japanese citizens happens, then the regulations will be amended. 5 petitions claimed that the regulations discriminated against Japanese citizens and curtailed freedom of expression. These petitions were all rejected.

But as you said, current regulations cover most of it anyway, right?

M3M3M3;

For example, even in Germany you can't be fined or arrested for proposing a second Holocaust as long as you carefully preface your proposal with

Germany is a bad example. In Merkels Germany, social media are censored for wrongspeech, and old women are put in jail for the crime of denying the holocaust. And Merkel is suggesting ever more of this. Germany shows exactly what dangerous rabbit hole Kawasakis government is going down with this kind of censorship.

@ClippetyClopToday  05:05 pm JST

@show thanks for the link, interesting. A translation for other readers would have been useful. Here's what I got from it

If discrimination against Japanese citizens happens, then the regulations will be amended. 5 petitions claimed that the regulations discriminated against Japanese citizens and curtailed freedom of expression. These petitions were all rejected.

But as you said, current regulations cover most of it anyway, right?

Regardless of whether you are Chipstar or not, This response makes me think you a fair poster, Thanks for it,

I would have liked to translate them all for the fair posters like yourself but you seem got it already and unfortunately I am not interested in doing it for those who don’t care whatever and there are too many of those here.

I have known what’s going on about this issue and those lawyers and activists are now so noisy , calling this result as their perfect victory. Do you know why it makes them feel it as perfect victory? It is because the final verdict of the ordinance dropped supplementary resolution about the case Japanese people are discriminated, harassed, threatened by minorities。Yes It was a homestretch for them to end up this as ONE WAY resolution. Look at those Lawyers and activists, quite famous regular players. Their stupid logic has always been " Minority cannot discriminate Majority"

@show, I'm not Chipstar, I assure you!

Their stupid logic has always been " Minority cannot discriminate Majority"

Obviously this is not a great way to fix the problem of hate speech, if only one side is covered by the ordinance. I wasn't aware of the back story to this. I agree that if this is the case then it will only infuriate people more, and lead to more bitterness.

However, on the broader question of hate speech, I still believe that it is very unwise to allow people to threaten and racially abuse people under the umbrella of 'free speech'. Freedom from persecution has to come before the freedom to intimidate. If Korea wants to go down that road (and I don't know if they are) then that is their problem. This should not become of contest of who can hate the most. If that happens in Japan, everyone in Asia needs to duck.

ClippetyClop

Fair Enough. have a good weekend

These are not people who are over running neighborhoods, taking over business etc. They are mostly living in squalor or poverty conditions. Then some nuts with speakers (uneducated or lazy or some personality disorder) find their courage and attack the weak. This is how all this works in Japan. These people need protection.

Excellent news! well done Kawasaki