freedom of speech in japan (or lack of it)

[Joel Roth <jroth () aegis or jp>]

The following message was ported from JIX BBS, Osaka.
I'd appreciate if anyone could supply more details.

--- begin ported message ---
> From    : SVEN SERRANO                           Number    : 1392 of 1412
To      : ALL                                    Date      : 06/23/93 10:48p
Subject : niftyserve politics ban                Reference : NONE
Read    : [N/A]                                  Private   : NO
Conf    : 000 - General Mail Folder

I rarely buy the The Asahi Evening News in English ever since they
dropped the comic "Robotman" but today I did and on page four at the
bottom was a headline that made my blood boil.  "Nifty Serve bans
on-line politicking".  It seems that while BBS/E-mail is fast becoming
one of the most effective tools for participatory democracy in the World
(from the August coup attempt in the former USSR to Clinton's wired
campaign of last year) our Japanese Sysops at Nifty Serve will have none
of it.  Even thoug the last few days have seen an upsurge of popular
interest in the possibilities of political reform and realignment,
NiftyServe is upholding its oct. 1991 decision to ban campaigning and to
delete any mails and other data that publicize or support specific
candidates in elections.  Memberships of vilaters can be terminated.
Nifty was toldby the Home Affairs Ministry that such political use of a
on-line service 'could violate the election law.' The Ministry's logic
that online statments 'may-be regarded as fliers or posters when they
are on display at computer terminals.  It could constitute violations
because the number or flierrs and posters is restricted under the
election law.' What out-dated thinking!!  PC-Van is going along with the
ban too, without a whimper.  I ask all subscribers of Nifty and PC-Van,
especially Japanese language users, to challenge the ban and dare the
authorities to do their worst.  Give Me E-Mail or Give Me Death!!  Thank
you.
--- end of port ---

Okay, I can supply one fact. Nifty is owned by Nissho Iwai, a large
trading house. Nissho Iwai hasn't been very profitable lately, but
Nifty has shown explosive growth (figures anybody?) and a lot of big
companies are green with envy over its earnings (figures anyone?).
The article below would suggest that Nifty's owners are obviously far
more concerned about the bottom line than any do-gooder notions of
free speech.

Reading this, a friend and long-term Japan resident commented:

"While I think it's a bit silly to let one's blood boil over such
things, it does give a clear hint as to how things are set up here."


--
Joel Roth
Brahma Kumaris World
Spiritual University          1-2-15-501 Nakamichi, Higashi Nari ku,
Raja Yoga Center, Osaka       Osaka, Japan 537, 81-6-971-7251