On 19th March 2018, Human Rights Now gave an oral statement on Japan’s UPR at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The video and the full text of the statement can be accessed below.
Thank you, Madam Vice-President.
Human Rights Now expresses deep disappointment that Japan has not fully accepted 72, or one-third, of the 217 recommendations it received in its latest UPR. Regrettably, Japan has not fully accepted the recommendations to enact a law prohibiting discrimination.
We are also seriously concerned that Japan has not accepted the recommendations related to broadcaster independence. Last year, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression expressed concern with the status of media independence in Japan and recommended several measures to ensure broadcaster independence. We call on the government to make efforts to implement those recommendations.
Although Japan has accepted the recommendations related to the establishment of an independent National Human Rights Institution since its first UPR in 2008, it has failed to implement them for almost a decade. We strongly call on the government to immediately implement these recommendations.
Although Japan has accepted four recommendations related to Fukushima’s nuclear disaster, current government policy is completely contrary to them in practice. The government maintains a 20 mSv/year standard for evacuations, and housing support for evacuees outside evacuation zones stopped nearly a year ago. We strongly call on the government to resume housing support for all evacuees. We also call on the government to implement comprehensive health checks and to revise its entire policy based on the internationally recognized 1 mSv/year standard.
Thank you.