politics

Japan protests after reporter blocked from covering meeting in China

22 Comments
By Greg Baker

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Japan has lodged a protest with China about freedom of speech 

just make sure you refer to the fact in the reporting at all times, that the leader doesn't like to be compared to Winnie the Pooh, a protest symbol in China.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Good to see the Japanese media standing up for freedom of speech, unlike in China, Russia and the US. These anti-freedom cowards need to be held to account

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Although freedom of the press is under question right here in Japan, it’s not near the levels of Orwellian crazy that China is trying to push so good on them for pushing on this extremely crucial issue. One would hope it will be a great chance for a bit of serious soul searching on all sides. Freedom of speech , you either have it or you don’t and may be the most important issue of our times.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

@theperson - You are right. China does not care about anybody else but China. Unfortunately the U.S. govt. sold out to them a few decades ago.

This goes beyond the press. China has been withholding a live virus (a new flu strain - H7N9 with a very high mortality rate) from the U.K., U.S. and international community for almost 2 years. This violates WHO rules which require countries to share these viruses with potential to cause pandemics.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/29/disease-x-china-ignores-uk-request-share-samples-flu-virus-pandemic/

This is an additional example of what China is in addition to the media issues.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Complain? Lol!

These kinda countries couldn’t care less about your version of fair and free. Your angry protests are music to their ears. They’re probably laughing as we speak.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

It's good that Sankei Shinbun and other Japanese media shouted to the Chines authoritarian regime that respect for human rights and freedom of speech / expression is a universal value in the international community.

If only these people can also tell Abe to also respect the human rights of the Taiwanese people and prove that point by re-establishing full diplomatic ties with ROC-Taiwan then they could have been more credible.

Sans such statements from them makes them sound like fake news.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

If the Japanese government is serious about defending freedom of speech perhaps they should have terminated the meeting as soon as they were made aware of the exclusion. That would have got through to the Chinese dictatorship as little else would have.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"The Japanese government believes that respect for basic human rights including freedom of expression is a universal value in the international community, and ensuring those rights is important in any country,"

Yes but this is China, the world's biggest and most powerful dictatorship. China does not even apply such principles to it's own citizens. But good for the newspapers and J-Govt for speaking out. Even if it's "just for the record".

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Takeo and Yoshihide ( sounds like the best duet in Naha!) should tell Authoritarian China that there is no such censorship in democratic ROC-Taiwan and it's a shame the rebel government in the PROC couldn't even apply the Three Principles of the People to her own citizens and guests.

Therefore they would advise PM Abe to visit very Japan-friendly TW-ROC first and re-establish full diplomatic ties with the democratic country in accordance with the Bushido spirit of Nippon.

Shinzo should not backstabbed TW ever again just to be a puppet to both USA and China.

We should not follow the super sneaky principles of the Superpower-Colonizer of Okinawa in our dealings with Free China in TW and must regain our honor by strictly using our Code of the Bushido and the Samurai Spirit in regaining full diplomatic ties with the only Japan-friendly country on earth.

We should all choose to be Samurais rather than be perpetual puppets of Uncle Sam and Chairman Mao!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Takeo and Yoshihide should remind PM Abe that in our dealings with China, we must make it a priority to re-establish special full diplomatic relations with the Republic of China-Taiwan .

While the ROC -TW is the only very Nippon-friendly country in the whole universe, the rebel Communist Peoples Republic of Mao-China is always trying to shame us by their repetitious re-playing of the Jurassic Imperial Japanese crimes of yore even though we are already in the AKB 48 era!

That must be the reason why the Yasukuni Shrine weeps every time Abe kowtows to the secret duet Beijing and Washington , both of which authored the order to cut diplomatic ties to TW-ROC.

Shinzo must act like a true Samurai and follow our Bushido Code and re-connect our diplomatic relations with Free China in TW or else the Spirits in Yasukuni will not be happy.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Alfie as much as loathe the crass smears of sidewalk trash, if freedom of speech is curtailed, it's a slippery slope to totalitarianism.

Yes, of course. The Sankei isn't all lies, distortions and historical fakery, of course not. It's just strange, like seeing an ex-head of the CIA held up as a beacon of democracy and truth.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

the Chinese foreign ministry excluded a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun -- a Japanese conservative daily critical of China -- from a media pool

How is this any different from the Japanese press clubs, where reporters who might ask difficult questions are excluded?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Alfie as much as loathe the crass smears of sidewalk trash, if freedom of speech is curtailed, it's a slippery slope to totalitarianism.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

alfie:

Yeah, tell me about it. For a second I was concerned. Then when I saw Sankei Shimbun in the above article, I was like, who gives a damn. It's like Breitbart or KKK Times bitching that they weren't allowed inside a Democrat's convention.

I'd also like to add that Japan isn't much better - you know, all this kisha club crap and expected to only ask soft questions and questions pre-determined, otherwise you won't get invited back.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary may protested because newspaper that was excluded was "Sankei" who always approve and applause Abe Government.

it is doubt that Japanese Government protested or not even if Asahi or Mainichi are excluded.

Behaviour of Japanese Abe Government against media is never far away to Chinese Authorities.

Present Japanese Prime Minister or Ministers have professed enmity or hostilirty against critical media,Ruling Party LDP Politicians have insisted to discontinue two Okinawa newspapers who criticize Government.

 

Also Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary himself has often ignored question from critical reporter.

it is like Present US President.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ganbare Japan!, I am really angry about this. What happened to absolute Freedom of Press.

If you believe in what you wrote, why is it that so much Japanese political news is not reported to the taxpaying citizens of Japan by the Japanese media?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sankei Shimbun

That'll be the ultra-nationalist, sex slave denying "newspaper" that published the notorious Sono Ayako 'apartheid for foreigners' piece? Now it's a bastion of free speech? You couldn't make it up.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/south-africa-scolds-japanese-author-for-endorsing-apartheid

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sankei Shimbun is a disfrace. They denial of Nanjiang massacre happened! Their news reporting visa to China should be revoked!No apology they were unwelcome

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I am really angry about this. What happened to absolute Freedom of Press. The Abe Cabinet is furious too, and I hope shall summon the Chinese Ambassador to lodge the formal protest. PRC will not get away with this human rights violation.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Hiro S Nobumasa, Taiwan can't even talk about one China policy openly, let alone that Beijing is the only govt of Taiwan people. Is that your freedom of speech ?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

PRC has more guts than ROC, that is why 1.4 people choose Beijing govt over Taiwan. ROC sells its soul to foreign powers, sells its own sovereignty to foreign powers, sell its own people, own territory, own interests to foreign occupation powers, just as Japan govt does. ROC begs for foreign protections, finding excuses for foreign occupations, the same as Japan govt. Shame to both.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Hiro S Nobumasa, please show your respect for ROC people and stop faking the facts. Why would ROC need Japan's protection ? The Taiwan govt is a joke, has abused democracy in all possible ways. If a govt can't even protect its own constitution, its own sovereignty, its own history, its own culture, its own language, its own people, what freedom is that ?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

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