Opinion Calling for the Establishment of a Domestic Human Rights Institution
February 20, 2014
Japan Federation of Bar Associations
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (“JFBA”) prepared its “Opinion Calling for the Establishment of a Domestic Human Rights Institution” dated February 28, 2014, and submitted it to both the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Summary
The Draft Bill on the Establishment of a Human Rights Commission was approved by the Cabinet on September 19, 2012, and submitted to the Diet on November 9, 2012. The Bill, however, was subsequently withdrawn as the House of Representatives was dissolved soon thereafter. The establishment of a public institution for human rights relief has become increasingly needed in a wide range of fields throughout our society, including in the areas of the problems surrounding bullying among children and discrimination on the grounds of disability, etc. Including the recommendations made by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, UN human rights treaty bodies have made repeated calls on the Japanese government for the early establishment of such a domestic human rights institution in Japan, in accordance with the Paris Principles.
In light of these requests, the JFBA will continue to strongly call for the early establishment of such a domestic human rights institution which is independent from the government.
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