Controversial State Secrecy Law Promulgated in Japan

Tokyo, Dec. 13 (Jiji Press)--A controversial Japanese law, which is designed to enhance the protection of state secrets while imposing stricter penalties on those who leak designated secretes, was promulgated on Friday morning. Under the law, heads of administrative organizations, such as cabinet ministers, designate special secrets in four areas--defense, diplomacy, counterespionage and counterterrorism. Public servants and others including citizens who leak designated special secrets will face a prison term of up to 10 years. The legislation will be put into force within a year. The law was enacted on Dec. 6 amid a public outcry. The government on Friday set up an office with a staff of more than 10 at the Cabinet Secretariat for preparatory work for the law's effectuation. Masaki Noke, deputy chief of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, will head the new office. The new office will take charge of setting the standards for the designation of state secrets and the lifting of designations. It will also work to establish a system to check the validity of designations. Designated secrets will not be disclosed for five years. The period of protection can be extended to up to 60 years in total. Secrets in seven subcategories such as weapons and secret codes are exceptions to the rule and are allowed to remain undisclosed for more than 60 years. Those handling designated secrets will be required to take tests to see if they are qualified to do so. Early next year, the government will establish a panel made up of experts on management of official documents, legal experts and journalists. Members of the panel will be tasked with giving advice in the work to establish the standards on the state secret designation and declassification. A committee comprising the chief cabinet secretary, deputy chief cabinet secretaries and vice ministers will be set up at the Cabinet Secretariat early next year to help check the validity of state secret designations. In addition, an office also in charge of such examinations will be launched at the Cabinet Office by the time the law takes effect. END