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Ex-captive Japanese journalist denied passport by gov't

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Yasuda, you cost us tax payers a lot of money. 

How? How did he cost you as a tax payer, ‘a lot of money’? Do you get a tax break every year that a hostage ransom isn’t paid? Rescuing him didn’t cost YOU a dime. Your taxes stayed the same as they would always be. The government is going to take your tax money whether Yasuda goes overseas or not, but that’s all you seem to worry about.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yasuda, you cost us tax payers a lot of money. Stay in Japan. Wanna do some investigative reporting on corruption? There is a lot on your home turf that needs to be exposed and reported. If you know what I mean.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

reporters traveling to war countries are prime targets, very few insurance companies will touch them, why should the taxpayer be the insurance policies for these reporters especially if they may become a second time offender

I have a serious question for you.

If we do not support reporters going to cover wars, then the government will be the only ones to tell us what is going on. My question for you is: Are you ok with the government being the only source of news coming out of a war zone?

I support my government, but even I would not want to see that happen.

I have no problem with my tax money being used in this manner as I consider it payment for the services the reporter is doing for the public.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He has never asked to be saved. He is a free man with the guts to do his job.

Some here would be on the side to prefer a nuclear bomb than to capitulate.

Know your history !

If no one goes to war zones, the worse ever will come again !

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Lets start telling all war correspondents that they will be on their own if anything happens to them and see how many are willing to still go.

reporters traveling to war countries are prime targets, very few insurance companies will touch them, why should the taxpayer be the insurance policies for these reporters especially if they may become a second time offender

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

He is not asking for pity.

maybe not but if he gets caught again I bet hell expect the J taxpayer to pay for his ransom release. nice little insurance policy to have especially when you cant afford it yourself. traveling to a war country should be treated as health insurance and the responsibility of those traveling to those countires to ensure they have it before they go. expecting the J taxpayer to pay for your reckless bevaious is morally wrong and selfish

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Once again, people are more worried about some how some money was spent than they are about journalists risking their lives in war zones to make sure the truth gets out. Lets start telling all war correspondents that they will be on their own if anything happens to them and see how many are willing to still go. I hope you enjoy the governments reporting on their own wars from then on.

Pathetic.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

But denying basic and fundamental human rights because of what he might do is way over the line.

Having passport isn't a human right. Lots of people around the world have passports withdrawn or confiscated, usually criminals or those whose actions are a danger to themselves or others. I assume Japan paid a ransom to free him, they don't want to throw more money away. I don't believe a word of his plans to go to India.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This man is a nuisance----to himself and everyone else. He has caused enough trouble already. He should be confined to Japan.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

easy to get passport from another country he is just a crybaby

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

This man cannot be trusted. 

Since I don't know him, I can't comment, but I've learned the most important history lesson: NO GOVERNMENTS can be trusted because suspiciously very few of these patently corrupt government officials ever serve any jail time.

Commanteer's post is irrefutable: too many people are being socially conditioned and are sleepwalking into the world of 1984. In a real democracy a passport should be a right, not a privilege. In fact, the modern passport is a recent 20th century invention, a fact that should alert us to how much freedom has been taken from us by the state in the last hundred years.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Sure but if you draw a dotted line between India and Europe it does cross certain countries in between. The guy’s travel plans alone probably raised another red flag. Perhaps he should have said he was thinking of heading to Australia or Canada or somewhere equally innocuous.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The Foreign Ministry notified him on July 10 that it based its decision on a passport law stipulating the government may not issue a passport to a person if a destination country denies that person entry. 

If the destination country (which was not Turkey) will deny entry then what's the point of denying a passport? And isn't this a situation for the destination country to handle?

Censorship veiled as thin as democracy itself is in Japan. An attack on journalism; what this government is infamous for is obviously what is happening here. Report what, where and how we allow you to or have your freedom of movement taken away.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

A passport is a privilege? So freedom of movement is now a privilege? He reports on global issues first hand, would you rather have reports from Korean, Chinese reporters? He spent 3 years in hell and wants to go back knowing what might happen, that is totally Samurai spirit. Not of the wishey washy type that is all to prevalent.

who cares how much money was paid to release him, 10 times more is spent on.....crap that we don't know about. OK a bridge used once a day in an electorate costs more than what was paid to release a eyewitness of history.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

passport is effectively loaned to the applicant and remains property of the state. Freedom of movement is, in most parts of the world, not a human right.

> No one has a right to be granted a passport or leave the nation. Its a privelege.

These are the kinds of opinions that the governments are training people to have - to make them more obedient servants of the state. It's an amazing job of brainwashing. A few years ago, nobody would ever question that the freedom to leave a country was a basic human right. Is the Berlin Wall already forgotten?

After people accept that they can be detained at will by the state, what other rights will they give up? Free speech doesn't look so safe these days, for one.

I wish these people who are happy with being prisoners would relocate to a place that shares their values. I hear North Korea is a welcoming place.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The Government made correct decision. This man cannot be trusted. No one has a right to be granted a passport or leave the nation. Its a privelege.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Wow what a violation of rights, but that seems to be LDP standard operating procedures - all for the party the people be damned.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Bungle What you wrote is as true as it is absolutely intolerable and just plain wrong.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

It is still unknown who paid the ransom last time.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

sensei258 said the same as others yet gets big down votes. Did he not say it nice and butt kissy enough? I agree with sensei258's post, words and spirit. The man should be permitted to leave but have it made dead clear to everybody he is completely on his own.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Give him a passport and let him go where he pleases but, with the stipulation he will receive no help from the Japanese government. The ramifications should solve the problem quickly.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

*Correction: that’s why governments always say they DON’T negotiate with terrorists

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The guy is a journalist and, by nature, the job sometimes requires traveling to areas of danger. I think this guy has b***s. In a free country you are supposed to be able to travel freely, even if that means you are foolish and travel to a unstable country.

This guy spent 3 years in captivity. He’s denied a new passport because the government thinks he’ll go back and get captured again? That’s why governments always say they negotiate with terrorists... I have a feeling the Japanese government paid a lot of money for his release, hence the denial of a new passport.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Please give this man back his passport, he has every right to travel wherever he pleases and knowing the ordeal he went through he is fully aware of the risks he takes while excercising his profession.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Assuming a ransom was paid to get him back the last time he was kidnaped, I can understand why they are denying him a second chance to be kidnapped

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Human rights = freedom of movement

He is not asking for pity.

Japan sees him as a cog in its machinery, not a human with personal rights.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

It should be a condition that he pays back the costs spent by the Japanese government (and other governments) to get him back to Japan from Syria. As well, "sensei258's" suggestion should be another condition before issuing a passport. Perhaps he'll think again before ignoring the government's warnings.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Again. When a country doesn't allow its citizens to leave, it cannot be called a free country. Denying a passport is the modern day version of building a wall. Let the guy go where he wants. If he gets killed, that's on him. But denying basic and fundamental human rights because of what he might do is way over the line.

11 ( +19 / -8 )

Maybe he's trying to earn a Nobel prize. Let him have his passport. Have him sign a statement first, saying that he assumes all risk and understands the government will do nothing to help him if he's captured. While you're at it, have his family sign the statement too, so they can't whine about how the government wouldn't help.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Dude must be pretty damn rich to be able to afford taking his family in a trip to India AND Europe within the space of a couple of months!

Must be nice, there is NO WAY my company is going to let me take two vacations in a row!

4 ( +9 / -5 )

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