Japanese Court: "Revealing Hate Speech Speakers Is Not Unconstitutional"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seong Gi-ho] A local government ordinance in Japan that publicly discloses the names of individuals or groups engaging in 'hate speech' has been ruled not to violate the Japanese Constitution for the first time.

According to local media on the 17th, the Osaka District Court ruled on the same day that the ordinance, which publicly discloses the names of individuals or groups who have committed hate speech, is constitutional, dismissing a resident lawsuit filed by eight Osaka citizens against then-Osaka Mayor Yoshimura Hirofumi, the Governor of Osaka Prefecture, who claimed the ordinance was unconstitutional.

The court acknowledged that the Osaka ordinance imposes certain restrictions on freedom of expression but emphasized that "freedom of expression is not guaranteed without limits and is subject to reasonable and unavoidable restrictions for the public welfare."

Furthermore, the court ruled that the ordinance's purpose is legitimate, noting that protests involving extreme hate speech, such as shouting violent slogans like "Kill them," could escalate into violent acts.

The Osaka City ordinance, which establishes procedures to review hate speech and includes measures to suppress hate speech, was fully implemented nationwide for the first time in July 2016.