A government deregulation council on Monday dropped a key proposal — reportedly favored by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — to eliminate the political fairness clause from the Broadcast Law.
The proposal drew criticism for potentially opening up the nation's airwaves to a deluge of politically charged programs and internet-driven "fake news."
The Regulatory Reform Promotion Council submitted to Abe a final set of recommendations meant to foster deregulation in areas including agriculture, employment, medicine and investment.