October 23, 2025
Cross-party lawmakers and concerned citizens on October 22 held a study meeting in the Diet building with the aim of foiling the Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae-led government’s attempt to establish an anti-espionage law.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira (Upper House), one of the meeting initiators, JCP lawmakers Motomura Nobuko (Lower House), and Nihi Sohei (Upper House) attended the meeting. The attendees included Dietmembers of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, the “Reiwa” party, and the parliamentary group “Okinawa Whirlwind”.
Koike pointed out that the creation of an anti-spy law is tantamount to the revival of the notorious prewar Public Order Maintenance Law which was a tool for the constant monitoring and surveillance of the public. He criticized the government for intending to establish the law as a step toward turning Japan into a nation capable of fighting wars abroad. He stressed, “This is an issue that requires bipartisan cooperation. It is important to develop a major struggle to prevent any such bill from being proposed in the Diet.”
Lawyer Kaido Yuichi and journalist Aoki Osamu who are familiar with Japan’s police organization dealing with security issues spoke as lecturers. They warned that an anti-espionage law, if enacted, will inevitably be abused by the police under the name of national security.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira (Upper House), one of the meeting initiators, JCP lawmakers Motomura Nobuko (Lower House), and Nihi Sohei (Upper House) attended the meeting. The attendees included Dietmembers of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, the “Reiwa” party, and the parliamentary group “Okinawa Whirlwind”.
Koike pointed out that the creation of an anti-spy law is tantamount to the revival of the notorious prewar Public Order Maintenance Law which was a tool for the constant monitoring and surveillance of the public. He criticized the government for intending to establish the law as a step toward turning Japan into a nation capable of fighting wars abroad. He stressed, “This is an issue that requires bipartisan cooperation. It is important to develop a major struggle to prevent any such bill from being proposed in the Diet.”
Lawyer Kaido Yuichi and journalist Aoki Osamu who are familiar with Japan’s police organization dealing with security issues spoke as lecturers. They warned that an anti-espionage law, if enacted, will inevitably be abused by the police under the name of national security.
