LDP, DPFP to Discuss Bill to Criminalize National Flag Vandalism

Tokyo, June 10 (Jiji Press)–The Democratic Party for the People, a Japanese opposition party, will launch talks with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to modify a bill that would criminalize vandalism of the national flag, DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said Wednesday. The DPFP will “aim to clarify what constitutes a crime” and the bill “needs to be modified in terms of the balance with freedom of expression,” Tamaki told reporters. The LDP compiled the bill based on a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party and plans to enact it during the current parliamentary session set to end next month. To secure passage, the ruling bloc needs cooperation from opposition parties as it does not have a majority in the House of Councillors, the upper parliamentary chamber. When asked about the possibility of the DPFP co-sponsoring the bill, Tamaki said, “We aren’t at that stage yet.” The bill proposes a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine of up to 200,000 yen for publicly damaging the national flag or posting videos of such acts on social media “in a way that causes people to feel extremely uncomfortable or disgusted.” It applies to “tangible objects that are recognized as being used as national flags,” excluding flags used in children’s lunches and those appearing in anime, comics and games. LDP and JIP executives approved the bill on Wednesday. “We will work together to obtain a broad-based agreement,” LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi said of the bill, indicating plans to seek support from opposition parties. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]