JCP protests against man's arrest for distributing handbills

JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi protested against the arrest and the search of JCP organizations in connection with the arrest of a government employee on March 3 by the Metropolitan Police Department, allegedly for violating the National Public Service Law by distributing JCP handbills during last year's general election.

Ichida called a news conference to state that the National Public Service Law violates the constitutional freedom of thought and belief in that it generally bans public employees from participating in political activities. He made it clear that even under the law, public employees have constitutional right to distribute handbills in their residential areas on holidays.

Ichida demanded that the arrested person be released, searches be suspended, and the seized computers and documents be returned immediately. Ichida added that he had been denied an interview in protest with Ono Kiyoko, National Public Safety Commission chair. Ichida said he protests against the denial as extremely unjust.

Lawyer Matsui Shigeaki from the Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom said, "Political freedom is the most important component of the constitutional freedom of speech. The man's arrest infringes on this freedom, and it amounts to abuse of police power and unjust repression."

A journalist commented that it is extraordinary for the MPD Public Security Division, not related to election law offenses, to search JCP organizations four months after the general election. (end)