Latest news with #InternalAffairsandCommunicationsMinistry
Yomiuri Shimbun
28-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Residents in District of Japan's Quake-Hit Noto Area Learn Disaster Radio Knowhow; Volunteers Learning from Area in Miyagi Hit by 2011 Quake
The Yomiuri Shimbun Shin Nakayama, right, and other members of the Machino district in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, learn broadcasting techniques during a training session in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, on June 17. KANAZAWA — Members of a community affected by a major earthquake and heavy rains are working on opening a temporary disaster radio station in June that will provide information to the area in emergencies. The Machino district of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, suffered damage from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and heavy rainfall that hit the prefecture. Volunteers are being taught how to broadcast information by a radio station in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, an area affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Lessons from Miyagi A temporary disaster radio station is an FM station set up by local governments to provide information on disaster relief, such as water supplies and food distribution. The system was established after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, with 28 municipalities opening such stations during the 2011 earthquake in the Tohoku region. The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry issues licenses to municipalities and decides the station's broadcast frequency. Supervision by a qualified individual with a second-class technical radio operator for on-the-ground services or higher is required, but qualified individuals from companies or volunteer organizations are permitted to help out. In mid-May, six Machino volunteer members visited Onagawa FM's radio room for their five-day training program to learn how to run a radio station. 'Wajima is just like Onagawa in that it is by the sea and is rich in nature. We want to rebuild it into a stylish town like Onagawa,' one of them said in a test broadcast via video streaming. After the earthquake in January 2024 and the heavy rains that followed in September, television signals and Internet connections in the Machino district were lost, leaving residents without access to information. Drawing lessons from these major disasters, a group of local volunteers called the Machino reconstruction project committee is preparing to launch a temporary disaster radio station with the cooperation of Wajima City. After test broadcasts were conducted in February, other residents who wanted to help the project came forward. One of the members, Shin Nakayama, 29, lost his older sister, then 31, who was swept away by mudslides during the heavy rains. He currently lives in temporary housing. 'My sister would've been listening to our radio,' Nakayama said about the reason to join the project. 'I want to deliver information to the community.' During his visit to Onagawa, Nakayama said he was able to share his feelings with people who also lost their loved ones in the 2011 earthquake. Enhancing readiness Onagawa FM's predecessor Onagawa Saigai FM served as a temporary disaster radio station until 2016, when its duties were taken over by a general incorporated association. It ceased broadcasting in 2022 and now supports the opening of similar radio stations nationwide. Former Onagawa Saigai radio host Machiko Abe, 42, was among the instructors teaching the Machino team in the training program. 'Rather than telling people about problems, communicate with residents to enhance disaster readiness,' Abe told the trainees. Yusuke Yamashita, 39, who represents the Machino committee, was taught about reporting and production skills. 'We will practice together while being aware that residents would be listening on the other side of the microphone,' Yamashita said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Freelance Law: Companies Should Take Lead in Protecting Workers in Weak Position
Freelancers who receive jobs from companies are in a weak position. The Japan Fair Trade Commission has taken steps to correct problematic transactions and prevent these workers from being treated unfairly. It is hoped that company executives will take this opportunity to thoroughly comply with the rules for transactions with such workers. Based on the Freelance Law, the JFTC has issued administrative guidance to 45 companies in four industries, such as animation production, calling for them to fix how they commission freelancers. This is the first time such guidance has been given since the law took effect last November. The law requires, among other things, that businesses outsourcing work to freelancers specify the details of the work and the amount of remuneration in document form or by email and pay for the work within 60 days of completion. Freelancers, who are in a weak position, often receive job requests verbally, and some have experienced companies cutting their pay or asking them to work without days off to meet deadlines, taking advantage of their weak position. The law is aimed at rectifying such practices. The recently issued administrative guidance has revealed that unfair practices in transactions with freelancers were not corrected even after the law came into force. The JFTC needs to strengthen its monitoring. The JFTC had been investigating four industries that are said to have had many complaints from freelancers. These are the animation, gaming, fitness club and relaxation services industries. After the law went into effect, the JFTC made a thorough investigation of 77 companies in these four industries and found violations at slightly less than 60% of them, or 45 firms. Specifically, one company commissioned freelancers to create illustrations for games without specifying how much they would be paid or when the company would receive the work. Among fitness club operators and other companies, the JFTC has also found cases where specific payment due dates were not set. These are prime examples of the sorts of practices prohibited under the law. Companies that place orders must take the guidance seriously and put internal systems in place to ensure proper business transactions. According to a survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the number of people who primarily work as freelancers comes to 2.09 million. Freelancers are typically IT engineers, animators, writers or interpreters. As working styles diversify, it will become increasingly important to aim for a society where freelancers and companies can grow together. The government is looking to cultivate Japanese-made anime and games as growth industries by exporting them overseas. To strengthen the development of human resources in anime production, the government reportedly plans to establish a new support organization by the end of this fiscal year. Many young people aspire to become animators or game creators. Improving the working environment for freelancers will likely contribute to the development of these sectors. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 27, 2025)
Japan Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Japan's legal system struggles to deal with AI child pornography
Disturbingly realistic sexual images of children generated by artificial intelligence are spreading worldwide across social media and online forums — often based on real photos scraped from the internet or school yearbooks. In Japan, these images fall into a legal gray zone that leaves those who have had their photos used as training data for such AI with no clear path to justice. That gap is becoming increasingly dangerous, experts warn, as AI tools are making it easier for anyone to create and share hyper-realistic images with just a few clicks. 'The current law was designed to protect real children, but generative AI has blurred the line between real and fake,' said Takashi Nagase, a lawyer and professor at Kanazawa University who helped draft internet policy at the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry. Under Japan's law on child pornography, which took effect in 1999, the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is illegal, but the law applies only to depictions of real, identifiable children. AI-generated content — including those known as 'deepfakes' that are made using pictures of real people — is not explicitly covered under the current framework, nor are human-drawn illustrations that depict child abuse. As a result, fictional images created using generative AI trained on photos of children often fall outside the law's reach, unless the child depicted can be clearly identified. This ambiguity is raising alarms among child protection advocates, as policymakers struggle to decide where to draw the line. Fighting to stop it One local government has taken matters into its own hands. On April 1, a revised ordinance took effect in Tottori Prefecture explicitly banning people from creating or distributing AI-generated child pornography — even if it was created outside the prefecture — using photos of children living in the prefecture. 'We've established (with the ordinance) that AI-general deepfake pornography is not something that should be allowed,' said Tottori Gov. Shinji Hirai in a news conference on April 3, calling for the central government to draft a similar law. While the ordinance does not mention any punishment for violators, which would be something for future discussions, the idea behind it is to raise awareness of the issue, Hirai added. Without a national law, enforcement remains patchy and potentially limited by jurisdiction. Images kept on servers overseas or shared anonymously can be difficult to trace or remove, even when local ordinances apply. Nonprofits are also stepping up pressure. ChildFund Japan, which has long campaigned for stronger child protection policies, began focusing on AI-generated abuse imagery following the global #MeToo movement and growing public support for modernizing Japan's approach to CSAM. As AI tools become more accessible, there's a growing consensus that education must play a central role in protecting children. | Getty images In 2023, the group raised the issue in parliament, and has since hosted symposiums, launched a working group, and held discussions with lawmakers and tech platforms. In a survey it released in March, 87.9% of the 1,200 people aged 15 to 79 in Japan who responded said they want stricter legislation for banning AI-generated CSAM. 'There's growing concern that generative AI isn't being adequately addressed in Japanese media or law,' said Kazuhiko Takeda executive director of ChildFund Japan. 'The law as it stands was not made from a child's perspective. That has to change.' One possible route currently open to victims is to file a defamation lawsuit. However, this puts the burden on the child and their guardians to notice and file a complaint if their image is misused — 'a completely unrealistic expectation,' he said. Takeda said the deeper issue is one of awareness — both among lawmakers and the public, advocating for comprehensive legislation that also bans AI-generated images using real photos. Asked during a Lower House Cabinet Committee meeting on April 9 whether existing legislation is sufficient to prosecute those who create or share such images, Masahiro Komura, state minister for justice, said AI-generated CSAM can be restricted under certain conditions. Komura said if an image 'shows the posture or appearance of a real child in a way that can be visually perceived,' it may qualify as child pornography — especially if the source material is identifiable. Empowering children Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in the same parliamentary session that a cross-ministerial task force and a government expert panel are working to address legal and ethical questions surrounding generative AI and its misuse. Other countries, meanwhile, have already moved ahead. In February, the U.K. announced a new bill that will make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to create CSAM, with a punishment of up to five years in prison. In the U.S., AI-generated CSAM is illegal under federal law, regardless of whether the victim exists. Experts say Japan could benefit from studying these models — but legal reform alone isn't enough. As AI tools become more accessible, there's a growing consensus that education must play a central role in protecting children. That includes teaching young people about the risks of sharing personal photos online, and integrating AI and media literacy into school curricula, which would empower them to protect themselves from evolving threats that the law has yet to catch up with. 'The generated image might be fictional — but the harm to real victims is not,' said Takeda. 'That's the line Japan needs to draw, and it needs to be drawn now.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Online Casinos: Take Prompt Steps with Even Forcibly Blocking Access as An Option
The current situation of a rapidly increasing number of illegal online casino users in Japan cannot be left unchecked. Effective measures must be taken, including the introduction of measures to block connections to casino sites. The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has held the first meeting of an expert panel to study measures to deter online casino use. The main point of contention is the appropriateness of introducing measures to forcibly block connections to casino sites. The panel is expected to compile an interim summary of the issues as early as this summer. Blocking is a measure whereby internet service providers monitor the communication destinations of all users and prevent them from viewing problematic sites. The right to prevent others from knowing the contents of one's communications is guaranteed by the Constitution and other laws as the 'secrecy of any means of communication.' Since blocking online access infringes this right, it is currently permissible only in exceptional circumstances set by the Penal Code for cases of 'necessity' involving child pornography sites. The government is now considering introducing blocking as a last resort to deal with online casinos only because the proliferation of online casinos has become extremely serious in Japan. The National Police Agency estimates that 3.37 million people have used online casinos in Japan, with ¥1 trillion being gambled annually. Users who access online casinos that are legally operated overseas are also subject to gambling charges if they access and use the sites from Japan. Many people are little aware of this fact, and there are many sites that claim to be 'safe and secure' in Japanese. Under the circumstances, users have been identified by police one after another. But it is difficult to crack down in Japan on sites that are legally operated overseas. Online casinos pose a high risk of gambling addiction because betting is available 24 hours a day via smartphones. Among users, young people especially stand out, and there have reportedly been cases of young people with debts applying for 'dark part-time jobs' on social media. Blocking is an effective measure to prevent the further increase in people who are involved in illegal gambling. It would also lead to measures against addiction. However, it is essential to thoroughly discuss the application of blocking so that it will not become an inappropriate system that violates the Constitution. Since child pornography infringes the human rights of children, the protection of their rights was judged to take precedence over the guarantee of the secrecy of communications. On the other hand, the government had previously considered blocking pirate sites that publish popular cartoons without permission, but abandoned the idea because of a strong opinion that copyright infringement is about economic interests and does not meet the conditions for cases of 'necessity' under the Penal Code. In the case of online casinos, how will the relationship with the secrecy of communications be sorted out? Who will select the sites to which access is blocked and how? It is important to examine other countries' systems in detail and clearly define these issues with legal rules. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 25, 2025)
Yomiuri Shimbun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Panel Convenes to Discuss Blocking Access to Online Casino Sites; 60% of Site Users Say They Are Aware They Are Addicted
The Yomiuri Shimbun The first meeting to consider measures to deter illegal gambling at online casinos in Tokyo on Wednesday A panel of experts, set up by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, has held its first meeting to consider measures to deter illegal gambling at online casinos. Their talks are expected to focus on measures to block access to online casino sites. There are high hopes for the blocking approach, which would make it impossible to access such sites, but it would also be difficult to implement, due in part to the 'secrecy of any means of communication' guaranteed in the Constitution. 'Blocking could be an important option for dealing with online casinos, which are a serious pathology,' said Prof. Motoki Shizume of Gakushuin University at the panel meeting. 'Some countries have set up organizations specifically to deal with gambling and to block access to websites that host online casinos,' said Toshikazu Yamaguchi, president of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings. 'Japan should also act quickly.' The panel will consider such measures as setting up a new system to perform the blocking. Blocking the online casino sites would be effective, but it would not be easy to introduce the new system. The biggest issue would be the 'secrecy of any means of communication' guaranteed in the Constitution. For the system to work, telecom companies would need to track which all websites users are visiting online, a step that violates the right to privacy in communications. To combat sites that offer pirated manga and magazine content, such as Mangamura, the government in 2018 tried to develop a system to block access. However, the plan was abandoned in the face of opposition, which stressed the guaranteed privacy of communications. The one exception has been for websites carrying child pornography. These sites were blocked in Japan to prevent considerable harm to children, after due consideration was given to possible infringements to the privacy of communications. The panel plans to compile an interim report as early as this summer. 'This will be the third round of discussions on blocking systems, following those for child pornography and pirated content,' said Prof. Masahiro Sogabe of Kyoto University, who heads the panel. 'We can start discussions based on what has been examined before.' 60% aware of their addiction About 3.37 million people in Japan are estimated to have used online casino sites, according to materials presented by the National Police Agency at the panel meeting. About 60% of users said they were aware that they were addicted. Many users of online gambling sites are younger, and they tend to bet higher amounts and accrue larger debts than people addicted to gambling on horseracing, according to Takanobu Matsuzaki, head of the psychiatry department at the National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center. 'They become absorbed in [online casino gambling] as though they were playing a video game, and they quickly become addicted,' Matsuzaki said. 'Because people can easily access online casino sites from smartphones, it is difficult to treat them by cutting them off.' The NPA's analysis showed that the top 40 online casino sites offering services in Japanese are based in countries and territories where casinos are legal. Because these sites are not subject to punishment in their respective countries and territories, it is difficult for Japanese investigators to get local authorities to cooperate. Users in Japan are estimated to bet about ¥1.2423 trillion a year on overseas casino sites. Police are cracking down on payment service agents, who settle bets and receive handling fees. It is also suspected that tokuryu, or 'anonymous and fluid criminal' groups, are using online casinos to launder money.
