SAMPLE POSITION PAPER

Committee: Human Rights

Topic: Internet freedom of speech
Country: Japan

Freedom of speech is the political right to communicate one's opinions and

ideas. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but
includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas,
regardless of the medium used.
Freedom of speech and expression has a long history that predates modern
international human rights instruments. It is thought that ancient Athens
democratic ideology of free speech may have emerged in the late 6th or early
5th century BC. The values of the Roman Republic included freedom of
speech and freedom of religion.
Today freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognized in
international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in
Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article
10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American
Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human
and Peoples' Rights

Japan believes Internet freedom of speech to be crucial for the maintenance

of human rights and considers that it is an essential human need. Japan
provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government
respects these rights in practice. These freedoms extend to speech and
expression on the Internet. An effective judiciary and a functioning
democratic political system combine to ensure these rights. There are no
government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the
government monitors e-mail or Internet activities. Individuals and groups
engage in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet, including by email. Furthermore, our government received glowing reports from the
international press for our stance on the issue. Freedom House's Freedom in
the World 2011 reports that "Internet access is not restricted" in Japan,
while their Freedom on the Net 2013 reports Japan's "Internet freedom
status" as "free".

Japan supports internet freedom of speech as it :

Give people the right to have their opinions heard and considered
Guarantees that all opinions can be taken into account
Guarantees True Democracy
Allows us to know what opinion are in minority and which are in the
majority
The Japanese government is also aware of the various cons of the issue such
as :
Freedom of speech is an innately vague concept that calls for a clear
definition and interpretation with regard to the meaning and
permissible limits of free speech.
It can be misused to promote odious ideas, such as terrorism, racism,
sexism and fascism.
Freedom of speech during war like conditions can be detrimental to
the integrity and security of the nation

Freedom of speech can also lead to undesirable physical acts. For

instance, hate speeches and pornography can often lead to hate
crimes, rebellions, and rapes.

Hate speeches against religions can harm the right of citizens to

practice religion of their choice.

Freedom of Speech on internet and other sources of media have made

it essential to protect minors from being exposed to obscene and
otherwise potentially harmful materials.

Japan supports the the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human

rights on the Internet resolution that passed on July 2012.This implies that
they share the concern put forward in the resolution for: Affirmation that
the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in
particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers
and through any media of ones choice, in accordance with articles 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights . Japan thinks that is no ambiguity about the
various advantages of freedom of speech, but with it come the adverse state
of affairs that are detrimental to the evolution of the human society.
Therefore, to make best use of the freedom of speech, it is essential to put a
stop to its misuse by groups that advocate offensive ideas, such as terrorism,
racism, sexism, and fascism.