Hate speech against Korean residents of Japan has become an international issue as the United Nations has called on Tokyo to take proper measures to deal with the problem. At the center of the hate speech controversy is the anti-Korean group Zaitokukai, known for organizing street rallies that verbally attack ethnic Koreans, particularly in Tokyo's Shin-Okubo district and Osaka's Tsuruhashi area, both known as Korea towns.
Under these circumstances, it has surfaced that a lawmaker tapped last month to head the National Public Safety Commission — which oversees the National Police Agency — posed for a photo in 2009 with Zaitokukai's Kansai branch leader. In her new position, Eriko Yamatani has an important role to play in curbing hate speech. But in her recent speech and Q&A session at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Yamatani not only failed to take a stance against Zaitokukai's activities but refused to denounce the group.
This is utterly deplorable. Yamatani should realize that her failure to oppose what Zaitokukai does will not only deepen suspicions about her basic political views — and the policy orientation of the Abe administration for that matter — but also serve to obstruct Japan's efforts to fight against hate speech.