Halting the Retreat of Democracy

Close up Japan | 民主主義の後退に歯止め

Halting the Retreat of Democracy

Scenes of Russian citizens opposing the invasion in Ukraine being violently taken away by police in the streets were reported many times on TV and other media. The practice of policing those who express opposition to state policies, as if they were criminals is found in many dictatorships. In Japan, a man and a woman shouted “Abe quit” and “Oppose tax hikes” in the street when former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo, the head of the long-term government, gave a speech in Sapporo in support of the 2019 Upper House election. The police action that excluded the two led to a lawsuit claiming that it violated the freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution. The police claimed that the exclusion was a lawful act under the Police Duties Execution Act, while the two citizens claimed that they were illegally deprived of their voices of political criticism. On March 25 this year, the Sapporo District Court ordered the police to pay 880,000 yen for the violation of the two citizen’s freedom of expression. The court ruled that freedom of expression was an “important right that underlies a democratic society.” The police cited the safety of the surrounding people as the reason, but multiple videos taken at the scene revealed this to be untrue. There is a saying in Japan, “If you can't beat them, join them.” This will be a case study given to courage for democracy to the people of the world who have so far kept their mouths closed against dictatorial governments.

ウクライナうくらいな侵攻しんこう
ukuraina’shinkou ni
the invasion in Ukraine
反対はんたいする
hanntai suru
opposing
ロシアろしあ市民しみん
roshia’shiminn ga
(of) Russian citizens
街頭がいとう
gaitou
the streets
de
in
警察けいさつ
keisatsu
police
ni
by
暴力的ぼうりょくてき
bouryoku’teki ni
violently
連行れんこうされる
rennkou sareru
being taken away
シーンしーんが、
shi-nn ga,
scenes
テレビてれび
terebi
TV
など
nado
and other (media)
de
on
何度なんど
nanndo mo
many times
報道ほうどうされました。
houdou sare mashita.
were reported
くに
kuni no
state
政策せいさく
seisaku
policies
ni
to
反対はんたい意見いけん
hanntai no ikenn wo
opposition
表明ひょうめいする
hyoumei suru
who express
もの
mono wo
those
犯罪者はんざいしゃ
hannzai’sha
(they were) criminals
のように
no you ni
as if
まる
torishimaru
(of) policing
やりかたは、
yarikata ha,
the practice
おおくの
ooku no
many
独裁どくさい国家こっか
dokusai’kokka
dictatorships
de
in
られます。
mirare masu.
is found
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
でも
demo
in
2019にせんじゅうきゅうねん
ninenn juu kyuu nenn no
twenty nineteen [year]
参院選さんいんせん
sanninn’senn
the Upper House election
で、
de,
of
長期ちょうき政権せいけん
chouki’seikenn
the long-term government
no
of
トップとっぷであった
toppu de atta
the head
安倍あべ晋三しんぞう
abe shinnzou
Abe Shinzo
元首相もとしゅしょう
moto’shushou ga
former Prime Minister
札幌さっぽろ
sapporo
Sapporo
de
in
街頭がいとう応援おうえん演説えんぜつをした
gaitou’ouenn’ennzetsu wo shita
gave a speech in support in the street
さい
sai ni
when
安部あべ
“abe
Abe
やめろ」
yamero”
quit
増税ぞうぜい反対はんたい」と
“zouzei’hanntai” to
(and) oppose tax hikes
男女だんじょ2人ふたり
dannjo futari ga
a man and a woman
野次やじばしました。
yaji wo tobashi mashita.
shouted
2人ふたり
futari wo
the two
排除はいじょした
haijo shita
that excluded
警察けいさつ
keisatsu no
police
行為こういは、
koui ha,
the action
憲法けんぽう
kennpou
the constitution
ga
by
保障ほしょうする
hoshou suru
guaranteed
表現ひょうげん
hyougenn
expression
no
of
自由じゆう
jiyuu wo
the freedom
侵害しんがいした
shinngai shita
(it) violated claiming
として
to shite
that
訴訟そしょう
soshou
a lawsuit
ni
to
発展はってんしました。
hattenn shi mashita.
led
警察側けいさつがわは、
keisatsu’gawa ha,
the police
排除はいじょ
haijo ha
the exclusion
警察官けいさつかん職務しょくむ執行法しっこうほう
keisatsu’kann’shokumu’shikkou’hou
the Police Duties Execution Act
もとづく
ni motoduku
under
適法てきほう行為こうい
tekihou na koui
a lawful act
である
de aru
was
とし、
to shi,
claimed that
一方いっぽう
ippou no
while
市民しみん
shiminn
the citizens
2人ふたり
futari ha
two
政治せいじ批判ひはん
seiji’hihann
political criticism
no
of
こえ
koe
their voices
wo
of
違法いほう
ihou ni
illegally
うばわれた
ubawareta
they were deprived
to
that
主張しゅちょうしました。
shuchou shi mashita.
claimed
札幌さっぽろ地裁ちさい
sapporo’chisai ha
the Sapporo District Court
今年ことし
kotoshi
this year
3月さんがつ
sann gatsu
(on) March
25にじゅうごにち
nijuu go nichi,
twenty-five [day]
2人ふたり
futari no
the two citizen’s
表現ひょうげん
hyougenn
expression
no
of
自由じゆう
jiyuu
freedom
ga
of
侵害しんがいされた
shinngai sareta
the violation
として
to shite
for
警察側けいさつがわ
keisatsu’gawa ni
the police
88万はちじゅうはちまんえん
hachijuu hachi mann enn no
eight hundred and eighty thousand yen
支払しはらいを
shiharai wo
to pay
めいじました。
meiji mashita.
ordered
表現ひょうげん
hyougenn
expression
no
of
自由じゆう
jiyuu ha
freedom
民主みんしゅ主義しゅぎ社会しゃかい
“minnshu’shugi’shakai wo
a democratic society
基礎きそづける
kiso dukeru
that underlies
重要じゅうよう権利けんり
juuyou na kennri”
(was) an important right
としての
to shite no
that
判決はんけつでした。
hannketsu deshita.
the court ruled
警察側けいさつがわ
keisatsu’gawa ha
the police
周囲しゅうい
shuui no
surrounding
ひと
hito
the people
no
of
安全あんぜん確保かくほ
annzenn’kakuho wo
the safety
理由りゆうとしました
riyuu to shi mashita
cited as the reason
が、
ga,
but
現場げんば
gennba
the scene
de
at
撮影さつえいした
satsuei shita
taken
複数ふくすう
fukusuu no
multiple
動画どうがにより
douga ni yori
videos
真実しんじつではないことが
shinnjitsu deha naikoto ga
(this) to be untrue
あきらかになりました。
akiraka ni nari mashita.
revealed
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
には、
niha,
in
ながいものにはかれろ」
“nagai mono niha makarero”
if you can't beat them join them
という
to iu
[that]
ことわざが
kotowaza ga
a saying
あります。
ari masu.
there is
この判決はんけつは、
kono hannketsu ha,
this
これまで
kore made
so far
独裁的どくさいてき政治せいじ
dokusai’teki’seiji
dictatorial governments
ni
against
くちざしてきた
kuchi wo tozashite kita
who have kept their mouths closed
世界せかい
sekai
the world
no
of
人々ひとびと
hitobito
the people
ni
to
民主みんしゅ主義しゅぎ
minn’shushugi
democracy
への
heno
for
勇気ゆうきあたえる
yuuki wo ataeru
given to courage
事例じれい
jirei
a case study
となるでしょう。
to naru deshou.
will be

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