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HOME  > Past issues  > 2018 March 14 - 20  > Japan advised by more than 100 countries regarding human rights
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2018 March 14 - 20 [POLITICS]

Japan advised by more than 100 countries regarding human rights

March 17, 2018
The latest UN human rights report shows that the government of Japan received a record number of 217 recommendations from 106 countries regarding the human rights situation in Japan.

The UN Human Right Council on March 16 published a report on the human rights performance of all UN Member States, called the Universal Periodic Report (UPR).

According to this report, Japan accepted 145 recommendations, refused to accept 34, and partially accepted or took note of 38.

Guatemala, for example, recommended Japan's signing of the UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. Japan, however, rejected this recommendation by responding that the treaty lacks awareness of the critical reality of the security environment in Japan and is unsupported by the non-nuclear-weapon states which are facing a nuclear threat. Japan said that it will not sign the nuclear-weapons ban pact from the standpoint of its basic approach to the elimination of nuclear weapons which differs from other states.

Costa Rica called on Japan to expand healthcare relief measures for the children of Hiroshima/Nagasaki atomic bomb victims (second-generation Hibakusha). Japan, however, declined this advice as well on the grounds of the absence of scientific proof of genetic effects caused by atomic radiation.

In regard to media independence in Japan as criticized last year by a UN Special Rapporteur, Austria urged Japan to reexamine the existing legal framework and remove any legal grounds which may allow excessive government interference in broadcasting. The United States suggested that Article 4 of the Japanese Broadcast Act which stipulates political equality be removed.

Past related articles:
> Japan’s absence in N-ban treaty will evoke global distrust of Japan [September 14, 2017]
> Abe regime’s undue influence on press reported in UN Human Rights Council [June 14, 2017]
> Abe’s control over media receives criticism from UN expert on free speech [June 1, 2017]
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