Tag - secrecy-2

 
 

SECRECY 2

COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 4, 2014
Abe's reactionary leadership
The Japanese government has so far failed to give meaningful reassurances about how the reactionary and potentially dangerous state secrets law, rammed through the Japanese Diet in December, will operate.
EDITORIALS
Jan 24, 2014
Limits of secrecy oversight panel
An expert council for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may be able to serve as a minor check against the arbitrary application of the new state secrets law, but the the defects of the law will remain.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 4, 2014
Back and forward: Asia in 2013; predictions for 2014
Crystal-ball gazing is a notoriously inexact science, so before getting to that, let's lessen the potential exposure to ridicule by starting with a roundup of the last 12 months' key trends and events in Asia.
EDITORIALS
Dec 31, 2013
A year to become politically active
In 2014 the Japanese people risk having their rights to freedoms of the press, thought expression curtailed as a result of the state secrets protection bill that the Abe administration rushed through the Diet in December.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 21, 2013
Terrorists unite: All you have to lose is your freedom
Everyone had been wondering when the real Shinzo Abe would bare the dark recesses of his political soul. There had been some glimpses, but with Abenomics in a swoon amid growing skepticism about its sustainability, Japan's prime minister finally ripped off his mask as he rammed secrecy legislation through the Diet, steamrollering an opposition in disarray.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 21, 2013
It's business as usual 'back in the USSR'
Paul McCartney was in Japan some weeks ago. Having spent a totally Beatlemaniac four years of my pre-teen existence in the U.K., it was nice to see the erstwhile Beatle in such good form.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Dec 14, 2013
State secrets bill shows Abe's tin ear for local politics
Former U.S. Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, one of America's most influential politicians of the late 20th century, had some sage advice for those who thought about national or international politics. "All politics," O'Neill warned, "is local."
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 6, 2013
Diet enacts controversial state secrets bill
The Upper House passes the state secrets bill despite soaring opposition over the lack of an independent oversight body to check the government's decisions.
EDITORIALS
Dec 4, 2013
Ishiba validates secrecy bill fears
In his recent criticism of public demonstrations near the Diet building by those opposed to the secrecy bill, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba validated concerns that the bill could be used to silence citizens who express certain political opinions or demands.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 3, 2013
Japan's secrets bill turns journalists into terrorists
The Japanese public supports Prime Ministe Shinzo Abe's bid to defeat deflation and stand up to China, but it's not with him on the secrecy bill.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 1, 2013
Secrecy law protests 'act of terrorism': LDP secretary-general
Citizens demonstrating against the controversial state secrets bill are committing “an act terrorism,” according to Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 30, 2013
The secret of keeping official secrets secret
"He that would keep a secret must keep it secret that he hath a secret to keep," says Sir Humphrey Appleby, permanent secretary to the Department of Administrative Affairs, a fictitious branch of the British government. He is one of the main characters in the highly acclaimed 1980s BBC television series "Yes Minister" and its equally phenomenal sequel, "Yes Prime Minister." Sir Humphrey's axiom would surely be readily shared by current real-life Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he bulldozes his bill for the protection of special official secrets through parliament.
Japan Times
JAPAN / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Nov 30, 2013
Japan: The new Uzbekistan of press freedom in Asia
If you're living in Japan, you may be surprised to know that your right to know has been replaced by the right to remain silent. Shhh ... don't protest. It's practically a done deal.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 26, 2013
State secrecy bill could have a chilling effect on reporting
The state secrecy bill currently before the Diet could have a chilling effect on news reporting in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 26, 2013
Ruling bloc rams secrets bill through Lower House
The ruling coalition forced its contentious state secrets bill through the Lower House on Tuesday evening amid calls from all but one of the opposition forces for further deliberations on its provisions.
EDITORIALS
Nov 25, 2013
Opposition parties fail their duty
By supporting the government's secrecy bill, opposition parties failed their duty to serve as a check on the ruling coalition.
JAPAN
Nov 24, 2013
Information grab raises ire across the spectrum
Journalists, citizens' groups and academics, among others, are growing increasingly vociferous in their opposition to the state secrets bill.
JAPAN
Nov 21, 2013
Ruling camp fends off rewrite of secrets bill
The ruling bloc keeps its contentious state secrets bill intact though it gives the appearance of compromising with Nippon Ishin no Kai to attach minor requirements on government bodies seeking to classify information.
EDITORIALS
Nov 20, 2013
Kill the secrecy bill
The government's proposed amendments to its secrecy bill do not changed its basic undemocratic nature. It should be killed.
JAPAN
Nov 20, 2013
Group makes no secret of opposition to bill
In the face of moves to amend the postwar Constitution, about 500 people gathered in Tokyo on Saturday to promote the importance of maintaining its pacifistic ideals.

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