Over 60% of the 300 online posts that were raised in a Korean resident’s report as hate speech cases against her were found to be unlawful human rights violations by the Business Bureau legal issues, the woman and her lawyer said at a Sept. 8 press conference.
Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the woman, who lives in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, asked the city government to delete the posts before filing a report with the Legal Affairs Bureau. However, the majority of posts have apparently been deemed ineligible for relief based on the city’s human rights ordinance, and the attorney has called for improved enforcement of the ordinance. .
At the press conference held in Kawasaki, wife Choi Kang-ija, a 49-year-old third-generation Korean residing in Japan, and her lawyer Yasuko Morooka said that up to June 2020, Choi had filed an application with the Kawasaki municipal government. cut some 340 positions based on the city ordinance. However, the city apparently only referred eight cases to its panel for assessment.
Following the city’s response, Choi filed a report for damages against human rights violations with the Yokohama District Legal Affairs Bureau in December 2020. The bureau acknowledged the illegal nature in under the Civil Code for more than 90% of the 38 posts in blogs and online message boards, as well as 60% of the 262 posts on Twitter, and required Internet service providers to delete the posts. Among the posts were some that were not recognized as hate speech by the Kawasaki municipal government.
In addition, the Office of Legal Affairs informed providers of publications that, although ineligible as illegal acts under the Civil Code, could be considered “unjust acts and discriminatory speech” specified in Japanese law. against hate speech.
Based on the City of Kawasaki Anti-Hate Ordinance, the Ordinance Enforcement Section first determines that requests to remove certain posts should be made and consults with the Expert Panel on discriminatory messages. Following the panel’s response, the municipal government then files a request to remove the posts.
Some claimed the system was “extremely slow, resulting in insufficient relief measures for victims”. In March last year, a human rights body that has been set up within the city government also asked the city to review its portfolio of cases for consultation with the expert panel to to effectively provide relief measures.
At the September 8 press conference, Choi commented, “I would have suffered a lot if it hadn’t been for the response from the Legal Affairs Office. I hope this positive decision will strengthen initiatives to save victims in Kawasaki.
Satoshi Matsumoto, head of the Kawasaki Municipal Government Office for Human Rights and Gender Equality, said, “If the Ministry of Justice makes different decisions from us for the same cases, we would like to consider the reasons for these differences and use this knowledge for the future. administration”.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220912/p2a/00m/0na/009000c
Category: Japan
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