Guided by Social Responsible Theory, the research employs a qualitative media content analysis to compare political fairness regulations towards the press in the US and Japan. While the US abolished the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, Japan has long discussed an expansive interpretation and potential removal of the political fairness clause Article 4 of the Broadcasting Act. Referencing constitutional guarantees of free speech, it aims to find similarities and differences in how these regulations apply to journalism practices, ultimately identifying the role expected of Japanese broadcasters under the regulation and examining the notion of Japan's press freedom from historical and cultural perspectives. This approach offers a comprehensive examination of press freedom under the legal lens, aiming to provide multifaceted insights to help regulators better understand the broadcaster's role in democracy and produce appropriate policy initiatives and actions.
The findings suggest that the Japanese political fairness clause was influenced by the defeat in WWII and the adoption of Western liberal democratic values, although Asian culture has remained influential in terms of relatively flexible legal enforcement. The main mission of Japan’s political fairness is to guide the country to become a peace-loving nation, not revert to a military state like the Empire of Japan. Consequently, broadcasters in Japan are expected to act more as enlightened leaders for the public than as traditional watchdogs in the Western manner. However, if Japan's legal enforcement becomes more Westernized and strict, maintaining this principle might prove challenging and potentially infringe on press freedom.

Authors:
Naoki Kuroishi, Ohio University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Naoki Kuroishi is a PhD student and instructor at Ohio University, USA, with over 8 years of experience in journalism, PR and as a politics lecturer in Japan. He holds an MA in Political Communication with Distinction from Cardiff University, UK.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/naoki-kuroishi/

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