'Conspiracy' bill set to proceed after no-confidence motion fails

Right! Like Japan has a huge problem with terrorism!

I don't know what kinda sucker you would have to be to believe that this law is being drafted by Abe, and it's directly for the security of the Olympics.

If that was the case, wouldn't it be better to call it the Olympic Laws and they should only be in effect for a month and then nullified.

The law could have avoided Aum Sarin incident.

If fostering the Olympics means that there could be a possible loss of life then Abe should have them cancelled!

To use the Olympics as a cover to restrict personal freedom for all people in Japan is loathsome......

Democracy, ha! Behold as we slowly slide backwards towards the days of old. They might as well officially announce a one party state seeing as opposition is pretty much non existent!!

Perhaps we should set up THAAD or the AEGIS missile systems by then too Mr Abe?

It would be a good security measure you know?

Magicians say "abra kadabra", Abe says "2020 2020 Olympics".

Abe: How to suppress anyone you don't like

But opponents fear the legislation could be used as a vehicle for excessive state surveillance and suppression of civic groups.

Exactly ! This bill has nothing to do with terrorism (like if a terrorist would follow any law btw), this is only about state surveillance and how to suppress anyone who is against the LDP, preliminaries to a fascist state.

And every so quickly Japan is becoming the new North Korea, and the people have even less say than usual. And you see how quickly something comes into being when Dear Abe wants it? The majority are against this, as they were with "reinterpreting" the Constitution, with the secrets law, and with restarting NPPs, but all of those were crammed through and passed. The Emperor's abdication? which harms no one? The majority wants it, but Abe and Co do not, so it's suddenly "Something that must be closely watched and studied, then debated before a decision is made".

Some people kid themselves that Japan is still a democracy.

Schopenhauer - "...The law could have avoided Aum Sarin incident..."

The police already had enough information, evidence & proof to have closed down Aum well before the sarin attack.

Existing laws and the powers of the police could have avoided the Aum Sarin incident.

Ineptitude and procrastination were weighty factors.

The new "anti-terrorist laws" (read as bogeyman laws) are but one more step in consolidating Abe's dream of molding Japan in his own image - based on his grandfather's legacy of showa-ism.

As to Abe's administration, his wife and his friends' managers to establish private schools, they all seem to be applied to more or less conspiracy though Abe denied Sontaku.

Those bills proposed introducing a charge of "conspiracy," while the new bill refers to it as "preparations for terrorism or similar (acts)."

One major problem is that "similar acts" includes too many types of crimes, such as tax evasion and copyright violation.

So, if two people talk about possible tax evasion or tax avoidance (Japanese national tax agency maintains "tax avoidance" is illegal), they are guilty of conspiracy of "terrorism or similar acts", even if they actually did not evade or avoid tax.

Likewise, if two people talk about possible illegal use of copy right material, they are guilty of conspiracy of "terrorism or similar acts".

smithinjapan

Japan is the new North Korea?

Man, you really haven't traveled around have you?

Democracy, ha! Behold as we slowly slide backwards towards the days of old. They might as well officially announce a one party state seeing as opposition is pretty much non existent!!

And why is there no opposition ? because the majority of the populace doesn't care how their

lives are run or their taxes are managed thus careless about an opposition.

Sad indeed, some here will be blaming Minshuto for not doing enough as an opposition

what should minshuto do to get the people interested.

Japan needs to send a message to potential terrorists, and conspirators, they cannot jeopardize the safety of Japan and its allies.

Oh my god! it must be true! Now I know why I almost never see patrol cars when driving around ( 1500 km per month ).  The cops are all IT experts busy with blurry red eyes day in and day out trying to nab anyone for thought crimes... P.S.  I do see cops driving around sometimes between 3 to 5 watching out for school kids...and they do there best to patrol the parks after midnight, again to protect the vulnerable. Japan is arguably the safest country on the globe....

We should take down this bill and replace the justice minister, and then realistically debate what's important in tackling terrorism

She's right.

I see a whole lot of bile here over not very much at all. It seems like half the time people scream that the government should do something, but then the police don't have the charges to put the bad guys away.

I have not read the law, but I would imagine it is something like RICO laws in the US, which are extremely useful against all kinds of white collar crime, terrorism, fraud by groups, etc. In complicated cases, it might be hard to find an exact law that some co-conspirator has broken, so they can't be charged or even questioned properly. We can't have a situation where criminals are safer the more people they have in their group. It has to be the opposite.

Anyway, Japan is really late to the party on this one. I think the US and European countries have similar laws, and have had them for over 30 years. In this age of modern communications and information exchange, this law is probably necessary just to stay one step ahead of criminals of all kinds.

One other thing. I don't see a lot of Japanese terrorists, but I can imagine that Japan would be useful for terrorists in terms of support, finance, etc. North Korea uses Japan for that purpose. To prosecute aiders and abettors, this kind of law would be useful.

People who WANT Japan to be vulnerable to foreign influences will oppose this law. I want Japan to have stronger laws to get rid of criminals or deport them. It is pretty clear what Russia has done to the US. It should not happen in Japan.

5SpeedRacer5 Today 01:36 pm JST

Anyway, Japan is really late to the party on this one. I think the US and European countries have similar laws, and have had them for over 30 years.

Countries in continental Europe criminalize conspiracy in very limited way, such as limiting to treason.

Japan already criminalizes conspiracy of insurrection, treason and waging a private war. I doubt we need to expand the scope of conspiracy.

Penal Code

Article 78　A person who prepares for or plots an insurrection shall be punished by imprisonment without work for not less than 1 year but not more than 10 years.

Article 88　A person who prepares for or plots any of the crimes prescribed under Articles 81 (Instigation of Foreign Aggression) and 82 (Assistance to the Enemy) shall be punished by imprisonment with work for not less than 1 year but not more than 10 years.

Article 93　A person who prepares or plots to wage war privately upon a foreign state shall be punished by imprisonment without work for not less than 3 months but not more than 5 years; provided, however, that the person who surrenders him/herself shall be exculpated.

People who WANT Japan to be vulnerable to foreign influences will oppose this law.

Uh, no. People have genuine concerns over the powers of the state. This does not mean they seek to enable terrorism or malign foreign influence.

Abe government's conspiracy law have serious risk that increase extortion of confession.

Prewar fascism government of Japan said :

"Target of 治安維持法(Public Safey maintenance law

or Security maintenance law) is communists only","General public is never arrested","Ordinary citizen are never affected"

but,crackdown,thought control,censorpship expanded,and Many innocent people were arrested,tortured and killed.

Present Abe government say:"Target of conspiracy law is terrorist only","General public is never arrested","Ordinary citizen are never affected"

for Abe government,

"General Public" or "Ordinary Citizen" is obedient people who always obey government.

Abe government with Ruling Party LDP hate Fundamental Human Rights and Freedom of Expression,and call even citizen's protest as "Terrorism".

"Person who criticize,oppose and protest against Abe government are anti-Japan unpatriot and agants of enemy countiries"

Japanese extreme rightists are obsessed with such delusion,want authoritarianism conspiracy law.

Abe this isn't going to stop people from rising up against you and your governmemt one day. So yeah enforce this law. Innocent people have nothing to hide....

Rally by citizen who hope to defend Pacifist Constitution came to be not permitted gradually.

Not only "conspiracy law",

Abe government is increasing oppressive law that can regulate Free Speech,expression,journalism and individual freedom,one after another.

@logiden Do you really drive around that much without seeing a massive increase in police numbers on the streets?

Yeah, the government shouldn't be doing anything about terrorism, they ought to be arresting people for saying nasty things on Twitter, just like Western Europe. What a utopian place that is...

This site will have to shut down the comments now, as anything written here could be construed as Conspiracy to incite the toppling of the Government....

Likewise all forms of real investigative Journalism are now under more severe threat.

TEPCO will not be back on course to run Power Stations anywhere they like. Toshiba will get a Government Bailout, likewise Takeda and all will be back to normal again, and if anyone raises any concerns... they're toast.