Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 29 - February 4 [CIVIL RIGHTS]

Kyoto residents rally against media’s neglect of giving citizens’ perspective

A group of Kyoto residents on February 1 held a rally and demonstration against mass media’s attempt to lead public opinions in a certain direction.

The action was hosted by an organizing committee consisting of media-conscious civic groups and unions. Since June last year, they have continuously carried out rallies and other types of actions in Kyoto City questioning the mass media’s lack of people-oriented viewpoints in their coverage of elections, the secrets protection law, nuclear energy, and other critical issues.

Reporting to nearly 150 participants, representatives of the organizing committee at the rally explained that newspaper companies have omitted the consumption tax hike scheduled for April from their lists of opinion polls in their attempt to have the public believe that it is a fait accompli. They also reported that few media have reported on the plan to build a U.S. military facility in Tango City, Kyoto Prefecture, including the local residents’ viewpoints.

The rally called on the participants to send their opinions to media companies on a daily basis as well as to send faxes to NHK in protest against its new president’s remarks which justified the Japanese military’s use of sex slaves during WWII.