The bee., 1883-03-10
The Press In :Jauan.

Consul General Van Buren sends
some information regarding the press
and the press laws of Japan. The
newspapers in the kingdom are now
reported at 113 (besides 1873 miseella
neous publications., and the news
paper circulation is said to have grown
from $40, ,269, in 1874, to 33,449.529
in 1877. A list of the dozen leading
journals is given, which issue from
1890 to 1900 copies daily; one has
$4,000 circulation, one has $4,000, one
has 5000, one has 5000, one has 5000,
the other seven have less than 1000
each, but if 800 publication days in
the year are assumed. the aggregate
circulation of these twelve is nearly
29,0OO,OOO. The journal OF largest
circulation. partly illustrated. strikes
tine lowest level of sensationalism and
borders on looseness of morals; the re-
strictive press laws take no trouble
about indecencies, but apply only to
expressions as to governmental affairs.
The code Of 1873 does provide for
fine of 5 to 100 yen (the yen is
equivalent to our trade dollar) for
publication of anything offending
against good morals and decency, but
these terms are rather vaguely defined
in Japan. The code of 1875 provides
that any person wishing to publish a
newspaper or anything else must OBJ
tain leave by petition. The proprie-
tors and editors must beJapanese, and
the name of the chief editor must be
published. For anytAng defamatory
or slanderous the editor is held pecuni-
arily responsible, and next to him the
writer. Any person writing on home
or foreign matters, news, literature
and SO on, must sign his name; for
using a feign ed name or that of an
other person fine is imposed. For
two days omission to announce by
name the person actually responsible a
paperiS liable to be suppressed, and in
such case whoever wishes to revive it
mustapply for permission as for a new
one. ANY person who falsely notifies
a changejn the government or discus
sion With a view to mislead the people"
is liatae to Imprisonment from one to
three years; to publish proceedings
of csslrts and acts of judicial officers.
"untaess they are officially notified"
carEles a heavy penalty of fine and i'm
priEonment. One article provides that
" letters sent to newspaper for pub
location must be published, under pen
atty of fine of 10 to 100 yen"
whether the unhappy editor will be
held pecuniarily responsible, under the
rule above noted, for anything "de-
famatory or slanderous or otherwise
Objectionable found therein is not
stated. The code of 1875 provides
that if newspaper speaks disrespeGt-
fully of the law or states that the law
has been wrongfully administered "
the editor shall be fined 5 to 500
yen, or his paper be suspended for
three to a hundred days; another arti-
Gle empowers the minister Of the home
department to permanently suppress
any paper which he considers dangerous
to public peace, and neither owner nor
editor of a paper SO suppressed can
continue the newspaper business until
he has taken several years leisure to
reflect upon his wickedness. Of course,
the natural result of this censorship
and suppression is more and more oc-
casion for censorship and suppression.
Demand for the creation of a repre-
sentative assembly has become general
and the newspapers, becoming more
and more outspoken, are either lead
ing or following this demand.