TOKYO — Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday that broadcast stations could be ordered to cease operations in the event they repeatedly present politically biased broadcasts in violation of the country’s domestic law.

The measure could be implemented under “extremely limited” situations, Takaichi said during a session of parliament. She did not rule out imposing punitive measures in the future on those who violate the country’s Radio Law.

Takaichi on Monday also referred to the possibility that broadcasts could be banned.

While it is “impossible to suspend broadcast operations simply with one program,” Takaichi said, “We cannot guarantee that we will never implement punishment if the stations absolutely cannot present fair broadcasting and do not take actions to rectify this.”

No such measure has been implemented so far. It is considered a stronger punitive measure than just warnings given in the past over broadcasts on fabricated stories. In a news conference, Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, sought to downplay Takaichi’s remarks, saying she simply made comments based on the law and that it is “impossible” to enforce such punitive measure arbitrarily.

Takaichi was responding to a question posed by a lawmaker from an opposition party who asked if repeated broadcasts in favor of those who oppose moves to amend Article 9 of the Constitution would be subject to the broadcasting ban.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has recently called for more public debate about amending the supreme law. Debate about whether to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 remains a sensitive and divisive issue in Japan.

Takaichi said there are several conditions for the government to take a step to cease broadcasts, with one being when the same station repeats a violation and does not take sufficient actions to prevent a recurrence.

She also said the measure could be possible if broadcasts are clearly in violation of the country’s broadcast law, the broadcasts in question harm public interest and there arises a need to stop them in the future, and if the government cannot expect the stations to take voluntary steps not to violate Japan’s broadcast law.


© KYODO