Comment on the Mid-Term Report on the Establishment of a National Human Rights Institution Issued by the Ministry of Justice

• Japanese

 

Today, the Ministry of Justice released its "Mid-Term Report on the Establishment of a New National Human Rights Institution."

 

The Mid-Term Report frames a national human rights institution to be established under the Cabinet Office but independent of the government in line with the so-called “Paris Principles” adopted at the UN General Assembly. The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) highly appreciates this policy direction.

 

A national human rights institution in addition to the individual complaints procedures set up by UN human rights treaties is deemed an essential human rights guarantee system and UN human rights bodies are also calling for its immediate establishment in Japan in order to firmly implement the Constitution and international human rights norms in Japan and to prevent human rights violations and provide redress for victims of such violations.

 

The JFBA will call for effective legislation to establish the (tentatively named) Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Paris Principles, including provision of a selection procedure for members, selection and allocation procedures for secretariat staff members, and ensuring its independent budget-making. The legislation should broadly adopt public opinions and the JFBA expresses its active cooperation in assisting in the enacting of such legislation.