Lawyers group urges agency to stop spying civil groups


The Japan Federation of Bar Associations has warned the Public Security Investigation Agency that it must disclose all materials involving its spying activities on 38 civil organizations, such as the Japan PEN Club and Ombudsman groups.

These citizens' groups have requested the lawyers federation to take relief measures to protect their civil rights.

The warning issued on January 23 demanded that the agency release all documents by which the agency has directed its officers to monitor activities of civil groups.

An inner document dated 1999, which seems to have been compiled by the agency's Kinki District Bureau, referred to watching activities by groups of human rights, labor, women, consumers, and many others, under the Subversive Activities Prevention Act. A national group of citizens' Ombudsman was designated to be a group which needs special attention.

Based on its own survey, the federation's Human Rights Protection Committee decided that the agency compiled the document, and then published the warning because the agency rejected to accept it. (end)