Category: Japan

From Tokyo Shimbun:

Application to citizens wishing to be excluded is unconstitutional
Orders prefecture to delete personal information
Citizens Network lawsuit decided at Kanazawa Regional Court

Proclaiming that the Citizens Basic Registry Network (Citizens Network/CN or “Juki Net” in Japanese) was ruled to violate privacy and personal rights guaranteed by the Japanese Constitution, Justice Ken’ichi Ido of the Kanazawa Regional Court ruled that prefectural and local Information Centers must delete the personal information of the plaintiffs, who are suing for the deletion of their information and for 220,000 yen apiece in damages from the central government et al.

There are currently lawsuits underway demanding the exclusion from the Citizens Network and damages from the government in 13 regional courts across Japan, but Kanazawa was the first court to reach a decision. The decision is likely to have an effect on the government’s IT strategy and plans for e-government.

The decision states, “As long as Citizens Network is applied to the Plaintiffs, who do not waive their right to privacy and are demanding to be excluded, Citizens Network is in violation of Article 13 of the Constitution.” Applying the system to citizens who demand to be exluded was found to be unconstitutional.

Further, it found that “Prefectures etc would be managing the private information of the Plaintiffs with no basis in the law,” accepting the right to demand cessation of Citizens Network based on Privacy Rights.

Justice Ido, in his reasons for the decision, writes, “The right to control your own information is included as one important aspect of the right to privacy in Article 13.” He goes on to say, “Citizens Network also violates the right of control, but (this right) has a substantial limit for purposes of public welfare.”

Furthermore, “I cannot accept that Citizens Network is important enough to sacrifice the right to privacy.”

Also, of the personal identification information found to be included in the right of control, “4 pieces of information: name, address, birthdate, and gender do not require a high level of concealment, but one’s citizen register (juminhyo) code and modification information allow one to collect various personal information, making the need for concealment substantially high.” Ido stated, “It is easy to imagine a situation where citizens would be stark naked in front of government institutions with their personal autonomy threatened.”

Regarding Citizens Network’s safety, Ido said, “The specific danger of illegal access or information leaks due to CN’s lack of security is problematic, and added that it is doubtful that proper measures to protect personal information were being taken at every municipality around the country.

As for damages, he avoided them by saying, “The unconstitutionality of the Citizens Network Law is limited to when it is clear to anyone.”

The federal government disagreed, saying, “The right of control is not protected by the Constitution. Measures for the protection of information are fine, and there is no violation of privacy.

Kyodo:

Former Democratic Party of Japan Lower House Member Sayuri Kamada (40) announced at meeting of her supporters’ association (Koenkai) on the 29th that she will run for Mayor of Sendai-shi (election to be announced July 17, with voting on the 31st) as an independent. She plans to inform DPJ officials of her intention to leave the party soon.

Kamada won her second term in the Lower House in the Miyagi 2nd district in 2003, but after discovery of election law violations with an official in her camp she resigned her posts to take responsibility. In a decision of a guilt-by-association suit, she was banned from running for office in the same district for 5 years.

According to a source within the Prefectural chapter of the DPJ, there is strong criticism that, “The citizens will not accept Kamada’s bid for the office of mayor,” and her response to the movement supporting Tomiko Okazaki (61) will be followed closely. In the same race, Prefectural Rep. Susumu Kanma (54) and former METI Commerce Negotiator Katsuhiko Umebara (51) have announced their candidacies as independents.

Chunichi Shimbun via Google Alerts:

89.4% of those surveyed believe that an increase of foreign tourists visiting Japan will “lead to an increase in crime” according the release of a monitor questionnaire on tourism from the Transportation Ministry released May 29. Meanwhile, the top response as to what the benefits of foreign tourists are was “getting them to understand Japan” with 76.6% of that opinion.

The survey was adminstered over the Internet in February to 777 “monitors” aged 20-79 who registered with the Ministry, with 86% of them responding.

“Criminals posing as tourists might enter the country and I worry that would cause a rise in crime” was the top response to the question, “What demerits does the increase of foreigners visiting to Japan have?” Following that was “trouble resulting from language or cultural differences” (33.4%).

As for the question on “merits”, following “getting them to understand us” was “Revenues from tourism would increase, which would be important to the domestic economy” (70.6%).

73.8% of respondents either “had no idea” or “were hearing for the first time” about the Ministry’s efforts to increase foreign tourism using the words “Founding a tourist nation” and “the Visit Japan Campaign”, revealing its low level of permeation.

Yahoo:

Hideaki Ito (29), who will star in Fuji TV drama “Sea Monkey” (海猿, Tuesdays at 9pm), and heroine Ai Kato (22) attended a spectator demonstration of the Japan Coast Guard held at Tokyo Bay on May 29.

The drama, which depicts the lives of a submarine crew in the Coast Guard, was realized with the full cooperation of the guard. They also watched rescue operations and other general drills.

Ito, who just finished filming a dangerous underwater rescue scene for the first and second episodes, said, “I felt a real sense of urgency that should show up in the footage,” expressing his enthusiasm for the rest of the filming. (Sports Nippon 5/30)

Demand for meat replacement brings bullish prices

The prices for American “Minced Cod” which is the basis for “Kamaboko”, “Chikuwa” and other processed boiled fish paste products are expected to become bullish. The demand for a replacements arising out of BSE and Avian flu breakouts in Europe and Asia are causing a rise inquiries about fillets (sold in threes). Meanwhile, the production of mince is falling, so fears of a shortage are placing focus on bream and other “golden thread” fish. However, high oil prices are predicted to cause a slump in fish harvests. Domestic inventory is at a low standard, and we are likely to see more and more markets trying out a price increase by the fall season.

Price negotiations for American produced Minced Cod are conducted twice a year in spring and fall between the American and Japanese fishing industries

Importers were demanding a price drop due to domestic fish cake makers’ profit deterioration, but with a worldwide expansion in demand looming, the spring negotiations this year decided on the 3rd straight price increase.

Producers are shifting from mince to fillets, which have a higher unit price, making the fears of a mince shortage high. Due to this, there was a partial movement to use “golden-thread” as a replacement. However, last year’s import quantity was 54,060 tonnes, a 14% decrease from the previous year. According to a fishing company, this is because of “the lackluster response from the consumer.”

This year, with an increase in cost of fishing boat operation due to the rising price of crude oil, and harvest amounts shaky, there are some who predict that domestic influx may be limited. There is a movement among fishing companies to find other replacements, but at present they have not found a promising contender.

The Farming, Forest, and Fisheries Minsitry says that minced Cod inventories were 41,937 tonnes at the end of this March, 23% lower than they were in March of last year. With an increasing crunch in supply and demand, wholesale prices for frozen minced Cod increased 13% to 295 yen per kilogram. Depending on the supply quantity for the fall season, further price increases are likely. (KM)

Nikkei:

Fukuoka Pref. Tagawa Precinct 2nd Division Security Section Chief Patrol Officer Uchigata Daisuke (30 of Fukuoka pref. Tagawa-shi, Nara) hit 2 men crossing Prefectural Road 2 of Numamoto-cho, Ogura-minami-ku, Kitakyushu in his car at 2am May 29th.

Araki Hakafumi (64 of Soita-cho Nakamotodera) died immediately after receiving a strong blow to the head, and Tone Eisaku (79 of Oguraminami Kamiyoshida 3) died soon after breaking his spine.

According to reports of Oguraminami Precinct, Uchigata was on his way back to his hometown in Kitakyushu City on holiday. “I was distracted by a restaurant’s sign on the side of the road, so I was looking over at that,” he explained.

Oguraminami prefecture is questioning Uchigata on suspicion of negligent homicide while on duty, but they do not plan to arrest him. The precinct explains, “There is no fear of flight or hiding of evidence. The victims were crossing the street outside of a pedestrian crosswalk, so the level of negligence is rather low.”

Araki was reportedly on his way to a nearby restaurant with a number of people at the time.

Chief Sakai Yoshio of Tagawa Precinct said, “We express deep apologies to the families of the deceased. We will continue to work to the full ability of our leadership to prevent similar incidents” (Kyodo News)