Journalists and celebrities stand up against the “Secrecy Bill”

On November 20, 2013, journalists rose against the “Secrecy Bill”, which is illiberal and anti-democratic, at the Annex of the Sabo Kaikan Hall in central Tokyo. TORIGOE Shuntaro, the organizer, said, “We should not have the bill passed in the houses. We come here to galvanize public opinion”. TAHARA Soichiro angrily followed, “Off-the-record news gathering, conspiracy and instigation are normal for us journalists. If our coverage is regarded as “unlawful” under the “Secrecy Protection Act”, we are subjected to the maximum 10 years in prison. This means that press freedom is going to die. The bill is extremely dangerous”. SUGAWARA Bunta, a heavyweight actor, expressed his worry about the current situation, saying, “Our society has been deformed in the long period of time against the people since the end of World War II. If the bill passes the parliament, it will become a decisive blow to democracy in Japan”. Then, some of the journalists and celebrities handed a “petition to demand the bill to be scrapped” over to MORI Masako, the Minister of State for Special Missions at the Cabinet Office. (M)

 Photo flash

* Photo: Journalists (KISHII Shigetada,Torigoe Shuntaro and KANEHIRA Shigenori) handing the perition

メディア関係者「反秘密法」に立ちあがる！～田原総一郎も菅原文太も

11 月20日、東京・砂防会館別館で「特定秘密保護法案の廃案を求めるメディア関係者」の「総決起集会」が開かれた。呼びかけ人の鳥越俊太郎さんは「このまま通すわけにはいかない。世論喚起のために集まった」と挨拶。田原総一郎さんは「私たちが普段やっている取材では、オフレコ取材、共謀、教唆などあたりまえ。この法律で“不当な取材”とされたら10年の懲役刑を喰らう。これでは報道は萎縮してしまう。これは危険きわまりない法律で、とんでもない」と語気を強めた。菅原文太さんも駆けつけ「戦後の長い時間のなかで時代が変形されられてきた。これが通れば、そのトドメになると思う」と危機感をあらわにした。その後、代表者が内閣府を訪ね、森大臣あてに「廃案を求める要請書」を手渡した。（M）  
 写真＝森大臣に要請する岸井成格・鳥越俊太郎・金平茂紀の各氏

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