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[Date] November 16, Thursday
[Time] 13:00-14:30
[Place] E-E-105
*This lecture will be conducted in English.
*No registration is required. Please come directly to the venue on the day.

Lecture Theme

The Human Rights in Japan: from the Perspective of International Human Rights Standards

Lecture Overview

This lecture aims to reevaluate Japan's human rights situation from an international perspective, considering the human rights status in the EU. We will explore how fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression, privacy protection, and freedom of assembly, relate to Japan's domestic laws, policies, and social customs, and how they align with international human rights standards, including those of the EU. We will particularly examine the Special Secrets Act and the Conspiracy Law, which have attracted international attention, for their impact on freedom of speech and democratic transparency, and their comparison with international human rights norms. This lecture will reveal the gaps between Japanese legal systems and international human rights standards and propose suggestions for improvement. Based on specific case studies and the latest research, we will deepen understanding of the current state and future challenges of human rights advocacy in Japan and share this with the participants. We will also discuss the role Japan should play in human rights protection and promotion in an international context and how to increase awareness of human rights issues both domestically and internationally.

Profile

Sanae Fujitais the Human Rights Fellow, University of Essex, and a photographer. Born in Osaka Prefecture. She holds a Master's and Doctorate in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex and completed her postgraduate studies at Nagoya University Graduate School of International Development. She is actively engaged in raising awareness of Japan's human rights issues in the international community and introducing the importance of international human rights in Japan. She translated the 2013 Special Secrets Act and the 2017 Conspiracy Law into English, bringing their issues to international attention. She received the 2023 Hisashi Higuchi Information Distribution Promotion Award. Her publications include "The World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Human Rights" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013) and "International Human Rights as a Weapon: Poverty, Media, and Discrimination in Japan" (Shueisha Shinsho, 2022). She also regularly lectures and speaks in Japan.