Newspaper editors, publishers, broadcasters and freelance journalists across the country are vehemently protesting that two bills now in the Diet would gravely undermine freedom of the press.
One is aimed at protecting personal data from leaks and information misuse, while the other is aimed at protecting individuals from human rights violations, including aggressive tactics by journalists, such as incessant telephone calls and staking out story targets.
Media organizations suspect, however, that the bills are also designed to protect politicians and high-ranking government officials from negative coverage.