Introduction

I don't know how much the participants here know about the library and the history of censorship in Japan, especially after we opened doors to western countries except Dutch people in Meiji era. So very briefly I'd like to introduce you firstly about the history of library and censorship in democratic Japan as the background of adoption of "Statement on Intellectual Freedom at libraries" and "the Code of Ethics for Librarians" and also activities of the Research Committee on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries in Japanese way. Then I'd like to pick up several recent issues, which threaten the freedom of expression and intellectual freedom for libraries and society in Japan.

On the way to Bangkok, I found an article on Bangkok Times about a Japanese rockn'roller. The singer recorded the upbeat version of the song Kimigayo, but the record company Polydor said to him that they could not be released. The song Kimigayo has been so controversial and discussed in Japan, and it was only recognized as the national anthem last week legally at the Diet national meeting with official recognition of the Rising Sun flag, Hinomaru. I don't know whether Thai language newspaper reported the same article or not. I wonder how Thai people think about this news. They might think that Japan has been turned to very conservative side. Both the song and the flag remind Asian people about the memory of what we Japanese did in Asia, including here in Thailand. Before the World War 2 Japan had turned to be military country headed by the Emperor symbolically. The song Kimigayo means "the time of honorable person". The point is who is the person? The Emperor? Or ordinary people like me?

Now, not only the government passed the law to recognize them officially but also some people started to depress the freedom of expression how the singer thinks about the song, Kimigayo. He just wanted to play like Jimi Hendrix.

Last 100 years, we Japanese has been swung politically, socially, ethically, and so on. Libraries and librarians have been followed whatever the Japanese society has been done. The mission of library and librarians has been reflected as a mirror whatever the public or society need. Sometimes it works "good", sometimes not.

After opening door to outsiders widely, Japanese government started to consume European culture and customs, governmental bodies, legal issues, military power, and so on. One of the first laws which new Meiji government proclaimed was stressing and controlling of publishing. Then they forced to close the places for the public to read aloud newspapers called "Sinbun-Jyuuran-sho". They were places like coffee house in London, passage or cafe in Paris, or meeting house in New England at the time of civil revolution. But people wanted to read and get information. So Meiji government decided to found public libraries at each regions.

Most of those public libraries were very restricted to be used by people. They had to prove how much tax they paid every year. They needed to hold recommend paper with them. Women and children were not allowed to use libraries because they didn't pay tax. Men also had to add to pay each time when they wanted to use. Even that so, they could read books and could get some information or knowledge.

But most libraries still limited to open to the public. They were controlled by the central government strongly. The heads of libraries were appointed by the government mainly. They were supported by the government financially. So when the central government turned to be ultra Right political body depends on military power, the government checked library holdings and the record of users, and intervened selection of materials. Most librarians didn't hesitate to cooperate them. They didn't want to be fired.

After the World War 2, libraries and librarians have been strongly influenced by American library ideas and activities. GHQ (American Occupation Forces) appointed several library officers like Mr. Krapp who worked at LC library long after coming back from Japan. They gave Japanese librarians the idea about relationship between public library and American democracy.

But at the same time, GHQ censored, confiscated and banned many books from libraries. GHQ controlled publications entirely. They checked even small local junior high school newspapers. We Japanese librarians learned a lot. Since then we have been learned about relations between the freedom of information and democracy, and also about censorship at libraries.

In 1946 Japan promulgated the New Constitution which sovereignty rest with the people, not the Emperor and guaranteed fundamental human rights of the people. But in 1950 when Korean War was occurred, Japan started to swing to different way. The government tried to establish the Anti-Subversive Activities Act. People disputed over the act a lot. Librarians also talked on what society discussed. Then in 1954, JLA (Japan Library Association) national assembly adopted "Statement on Intellectual Freedom" as a result of the dispute, and reflected the idea that library and librarians should be at "neutral" position. We didn't want to do same thing before WW2. But what is "neutrality"? This is another point.

The first version of this "Statement on Intellectual Freedom" proclaimed, but the statement was not widely accepted by the society and even among librarians. Neither the idea as "the right to know" was understood in society.

In 1973 a librarian at Yamaguchi-Ken (public) library concealed tens of books about peace movement or so on. This self-control by a librarian caused wide discussion. JLA decided to settle the Research Committee on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries. The Committee has been acted since 1974. After several years discussion JLA revised the Statement. That is;

1. The freedom of libraries to select their materials.
2. The freedom of libraries to make their materials and facilities available to the people.
3. The right of libraries to protect the privacy of their patrons.
4. The right of libraries to oppose all forms of censorship.

The Statement insists each library as an organization need to make clear its mission toward inside and outside of the library world.

In 1980 "the Code of Ethics for librarians" was approved by JLA national assembly for strengthen each librarians' self-consciousness and civil awareness on librarians' mission. Before the Code was approved, the Research Committee on the Problems of Librarians had already been worked on the professionalism and status of librarians. The Code is the pair of the Statement. The Code is settled twelve points. You can read them on JLA site in Japanese and English (http://www.jla.or.jp/index-e.html), or IFLA/FAIFE web site in English.

Ever since JLA general assembly approved these "Statement on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries" and "the Code of Ethics for Librarians", the two committees including local regional committees have been tried to make the public and librarians themselves aware the mission of libraries in present society. But 80's and 90's more and more incidents are happening relate to the Intellectual Freedom in Japan.

Now, I step forward to tell about what we, Research Committee on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries of JLA, are doing with many cases on Intellectual Freedom and libraries. We are not so strong bodies like ALA's office is, but as a Japanese way we do our best.

The activities of the Committee contain mainly two parts.

One is when censorship or dispute over Intellectual Freedom happens, and in the case when the user or librarians relating to the incident directly ask us advice or mediate between libraries and the person concerned. We are moderators or coordinator to make them firstly discussed between them, and understood each other. Sometimes we make advice. Or we sometime publicize the incident nationally and ask all librarians in Japan support us. But we don't do anything legal.

We have three rules through solving problems:

1. Talk among all Library staffs and librarians. Downsizing is not effective. For library users' point of view, from the head of the libraries to the part-time student workers or volunteers at the circulation desk are all library workers and library "professionals". We all library workers need to know and understand what happened and what the problem is.

2. Talk with the people directly criticized and thought they are discriminated or segregated. Don't guess. Don't judge from the "stereotyped" point of view. Sometimes librarians are "nuts". The disputes might be a "nut-cracker" for librarians' "old fashioned" point of view. Or the people who are accused sometimes have their own "stereotyped' eye on libraries. Talk with the people. Try to make them understood who we really are and for what we really are doing at libraries.

3. Talk with community people. Set up "community value". This is the time for civic awareness. Library is a civic place. Try to make community people understood who we librarians (and all library workers) really are and for what we actually are doing at libraries. All library staffs, accusers, and the community people all get together and try to make clear and understand what is the problem and try to get mutual consensus over the dispute, claim, or censorship.

Another action we do is promoting the idea of Intellectual Freedom at libraries among mass media, public sector workers, teachers, parents, youth, all community people and librarians themselves. We publish several publications including books annually, newsletter four times a year, and lectures and workshops several times a year. We support regional continuing education for professionals. We made packaged exhibition panels to show around libraries, or other community gathering places all over Japan.

Our task now might be how to communicate with writers, creators, publishers, bookstores, or other media professional groups relating to freedom of expressions. As for human right activity groups, we have been tried to set up relations especially with the group of minorities.

What problems happen at libraries in Japan recently?

Requirement to abandon library materials or restriction to use has been occurred, especially at school libraries. Religious reason is very rare in Japan, but anti-Emperor authority becomes one of the reasons. Discriminated expression to minors like Buraku-segregated people, Atomic-bomb suffers, Zainichi (Korean-Japanese or Chinese-Japanese), or Ainu (native Japanese) is always focused on. Pornography and violence are picked up as big reasons to ban books, Manga (comics), movies, and Internet recently. A few months ago Cyberpatrol started Japanese language version.

But it is very hard to say what is sexual expression or excessive violence. We have a rule that every material must not be restricted until the Supreme Court of Justice judge. The problem is local regional level. Every region has their own act called Seishounen-hogo-ikusei-jourei ("Act to protect youth"). The local authority without librarians decides which book is harmful for children and youth under 18 years old. If people sell or show these books, they might be arrested or fined. Recent "hot" listed book is titled "Kanzen-Jisatsu-Manual" (Complete Suicide Manual).

Legal issues threaten freedom of expression and protect of privacy. Last year Public Library Law was changed. Licensing librarian and teacher-with-librarianship was changed. Each regional government don' t need to hire professional librarian as the head of public library, furthermore local government would charge clients for using digital online information like Internet. "Fee or free" discussion is heated again.

Just last week several laws had passed national Diet meeting. In addition to officialize the song Kimigayo and the flag Hinomaru, Wiretapping Law and Numbering Act were also legalized. Wiretapping law gives police authority to get information through telephone line secretly. Numbering law makes private information of all residents in Japan put into computerized database, which would be used by each local government.

Without professional head librarian, I wonder how many libraries would keep "Statement on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries" and "the Code of Ethics for Librarians" sometimes against governmental authority power. Numbering law will make easy for long commuters who want official papers from nearest governmental office. But once if the community database connect to the database at libraries what would happen? How much local governmental officers understand the meaning of protecting private record of reading or inquiry?

We Japanese society may be peaceful compared with other countries in the world. A gun in Japan prohibits gun holding, even though everyday someone is killed by a gun in Japan. Children struggle to survive in Japanese society. Children try to protect themselves, sometimes with a huge knife. Children kill themselves. A teenager kills a teacher in a classroom. But it is not because of "harmful" books. It is not because of "violent" books or TV programs. How can you measure harmfulness, or violenceness?

Lastly, I'd like to add another dimension on the relation to freedom of expression and Intellectual freedom at libraries. Juvenile Delinquent Law in Japan protects the suspects' privacy under 16-years-old. In 1997 a 14-years-old boy was arrested as a suspect to kill an 11-years-old boy. Mass media heated to grab information about him, and one of them published his photo. They insisted it is freedom of expression. They insisted this is the right to know for the public. But is it really so? Do the public really need such kind of information? It is just gossip. Does not the boy have a privacy to protect himself?

The Freedom of Expression always has two dimensions. We need to protect the freedom of expression by each person's right to show his or her opinion, but sometimes journalists define their own "freedom of expression". We need to communicate and make journalists, writers, and creators understood how we think about Intellectual Freedom at libraries. Sometimes they say librarians are censors. They feel we librarians so suppress on them. But we don't. It is important how communicate and get cooperation with journalists, writers, and creators. Journalists have their own Code of Ethics. We need to exchange ideas and understand each other.

We, Research Committee on Intellectual Freedom at Libraries of Japan Library Association, do as much possible for disseminating the mission of libraries and librarians through "Statement on Intellectual Freedom" and "the Code of Ethics for Librarians" as librarians' torch for peaceful society. I, as a member of the Committee in Japan, hope that the IFLA Statement also will be the same Librarians' torch for peaceful society at international stage.