Press Freedom in Contemporary Japan

<p>In twenty-first century Japan there are numerous instances of media harassment, intimidation, censorship and self-censorship that undermine the freedom of the press and influence how the news is reported. Since Abe returned to power in 2012, the recrudescence of nationalism under his leadership has emboldened right-wing activists and organizations targeting liberal media outlets, journalists, peace museums and ethnic Korean residents in Japan. This ongoing culture war involves the media, school textbooks, constitutional revision, pacifism and security doctrine. </p><p>This text is divided into five sections that cover:</p><ul> <li>Politics of press freedom;</li> <li>The legal landscape;</li> <li>History and culture;</li> <li>Marginalization;</li> <li>PR, public diplomacy and manipulating opinion.</li> </ul><p><i>Press Freedom in Contemporary Japan</i> brings together contributions from an international and interdisciplinary line-up of academics and journalists intimately familiar with the current climate, in order to discuss and evaluate these issues and explore potential future outcomes. It is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand contemporary Japan and the politics of freedom of expression and transparency in the Abe era. It will appeal to students, academics, Japan specialists, journalists, legal scholars, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and those engaged in human rights, media studies and Asian Studies.</p> <p>Introduction</p><p><strong>Part I: The Politics of Press Freedom</strong></p><p>1. Media Muzzling under the Abe Administration</p><p>2. The Right-Wing Media and the Rise of Illiberal Politics in Japan</p><p>3. A Pooch After All? The <i>Asahi Shimbun</i>’s Foiled Foray into Watchdog Journalism</p><p>4. The Hatoyama Administration and the Outing of the Establishment Media</p><p>5. NHK: The Changing and Unchanged Politics of Semi-Independence</p><p>6. Abe and Press Oppression: Guilty, Not Guilty or Not Proven? Michael </p><p><strong>Part II: Legal Landscape</strong> </p><p>7. Chilling Effects on News Reporting in Japan’s "Anonymous Society"</p><p>8. Japan’s Designated Secrets Law</p><p>9. State Secrets and Freedom of the Press in Japan</p><p><strong>Part III: History and Culture wars</strong></p><p>10. Press Freedom Under Fire: "Comfort Women", the <i>Asahi</i> Affair and Uemura Takashi</p><p>11. Letter Campaigns, the Japanese Media, and the Effort to Censor History</p><p>12. Remanufacturing Consent: History, Nationalism and Popular Culture in Japan</p><p>13. NHK, War-related Television, and the Politics of Fairness</p><p>14. Pointing the Bone: A Personal Account of Media Repression in Japan</p><p>15. Tabloid nationalism and racialism in Japan</p><p><strong>Part IV: </strong><strong>Marginalization</strong> </p><p>16. Media Marginalization and Vilification of Minorities in Japan</p><p>17. Media Side-lines the sit-in protest in Takae, Okinawa</p><p>18. A Historical Perspective on Press Freedom in Okinawa</p><p>Part V: PR, Public Diplomacy and Manipulating Opinion </p><p>19. Spin over Substance? The PR Strategies of Vladimir Putin and Abe Shinzo</p><p>20. Japan’s Global Information War: Propaganda, Free Speech and Opinion Control Since 3/11</p><p>21. The Japan Lobby, Press Freedom and Public Diplomacy </p>