＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
In June 2019, it was reported that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Speech and Expression, David Kaye, compiled “a new report that raises concerns about the independence of the Japanese media. The report noted that “the 2017 recommendations calling for the revision of the Act and the elimination of Article 4 of the Broadcasting Act, which stipulates political impartiality in broadcasting programs, have not been implemented because the Japanese press may have been delegitimized by the Specified Secret Protection Act and other laws.”
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga immediately responded, saying, “This is extremely regrettable. The description contains many inaccuracies and uncertain grounds, and is unacceptable”. I think this rebuttal is justified.
1. Who is Special Rapporteur David Kaye?
David Kay, a 1990 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, is a lawyer and has served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Speech and Expression since August 2014.
He visited Japan in 2015, and during his visit in April 2016 he expressed concern about press freedom in Japan; in his 2016 report he identified “restrictions on demonstrations against protests related to opposition to the relocation of the Futenma base in Okinawa” as a problem.
However, Special Rapporteur David Kay said, “Okinawa is not the main part of my report, but only a part. I have not conducted any on-the-spot investigation of the demonstrations against the relocation of the Futenma base in Okinawa, nor do I plan to do so in the future”.
I think this is problematic.
There is concern that the report is preconceived and biased based on interviews with some left-wing people.
2. The Reality of the Independence of the Japanese Media
Once you come to Japan and take a closer look at the media reports, it is clear that you cannot conclude that “I am concerned about the independence of the Japanese media. From my point of view, even NHK, which is a public broadcaster, often reports critical of the administration. I would even like to say, “Can you really say that much?
If the Japanese media were not independent, like China and North Korea, there would be nothing but “propaganda broadcasts” like prewar newspapers and radios that only deceive the public by praising (dripping) government announcements (Daihonnei-Happyou).
I believe that deliberately turning away from such reality and publishing a report with erroneous content as a “UN report” is an act that is inimical to fairness and faithfulness as a jurist.
3. Danger of “walking alone” in the UN report
I believe that the Japanese government should again strongly request the United Nations to “withdraw” the erroneous reports on “military comfort women” (“Coomaraswamy Report” and “McDougal Report”) made by the UN Human Rights Commission based on false information of “fabricated articles” by Kiyoharu Yoshida, a reporter of the Asahi Shimbun, However, this has not been done yet.
After the announcement of the apology for the fabricated article in the name of its president, Asahi Shimbun has neither explained nor taken any action to the international community, including the United Nations, that the issue of the military comfort women is a misunderstanding based on a fabricated article.
Such an erroneous UN report, once issued, runs an extremely great risk of “walking alone” and may seriously damage Japan’s national interests.