69% of those surveyed say city should restrict loudspeakers during Peace Memorial Ceremony
Jun. 19, 2019
by Keiichi Nagayama, Staff Writer
According to a survey carried out by the City of Hiroshima, 69 percent of those who have attended or watched the ceremony on television said that voices amplified through loudspeakers, from demonstrating groups during the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6, should be restricted by a city ordinance. The results were released on June 18. The city also expressed its intention to pursue another survey of those present at this year’s Peace Memorial Ceremony, which will be held in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui spoke at a general inquiry session during a regular meeting of the Hiroshima City Council, stressing, “The current situation, in which A-bomb survivors and family members of the A-bomb victims are disturbed by this noise during the ceremony, could damage the public welfare of fulfilling the basic purpose of the Peace Memorial Ceremony.” The city also announced its intention to measure sound levels during the ceremony this year.
Based on the survey results and discussion with the city council, Mr. Matsu said, “I would like to consider effective measures, including the enactment of an ordinance, prior to the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing next year.” He was responding to a question from Tsuneyasu Kido, a city council member representing Asakita Ward, who is part of the civic club of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Last December, the City of Hiroshima mailed the survey to 3,000 randomly selected citizens who were 18 years of age or older. People who had attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony or watched it on television in the past five years were asked whether the voices from loudspeakers were noisy or not, and whether further measures should be taken to maintain a more quiet setting. The respondents could choose from among three options: an ordinance should be enacted; the city should ask the demonstrators to lower the volume of their voices, as it has been doing; and other alternatives. The rate of valid responses was 41 percent.
The groups that hold the demonstration on that day have called repeatedly for the city not to restrict their freedom of speech. Terumi Oe, the co-chair of the August 6 Grand Action, which organizes the demonstration, criticized the city by saying, “I protest the fact that the city is putting pressure on us, trying to trample on our freedom of speech.”
Careful consideration is needed before enacting an ordinance: Comments by Akihiro Kawakami, Associate Professor at the Hiroshima Peace Institute, Hiroshima City University, who specializes in constitutional law
Freedom of speech is an extremely important constitutional right for democracy. The city must give careful consideration before enacting an ordinance to regulate it. There may be some room for discussion to limit the “time, place, or means” of expression, but this right should not be restricted unless we are faced with imminent danger or there is no other alternative.
I appreciate the city’s efforts to follow proper procedures, such as conducting a survey of the people of Hiroshima. However, the contents of the questionnaire should be examined closely. For example, they should be asking people whether “they think the purpose of the Peace Memorial Ceremony is being hindered by voices from loudspeakers” rather than “they feel disturbed by the loud voices during the ceremony.” The argument that “an ordinance should be enacted merely because those voices are unpleasant” is unreasonable.
Meanwhile, the groups should explain why they want to hold their demonstration in the middle of the ceremony, and not before or after. The city needs to thoroughly discuss how the Peace Memorial Ceremony should be held by, for instance, convening a town meeting.
(Originally published on June 19, 2019)
According to a survey carried out by the City of Hiroshima, 69 percent of those who have attended or watched the ceremony on television said that voices amplified through loudspeakers, from demonstrating groups during the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6, should be restricted by a city ordinance. The results were released on June 18. The city also expressed its intention to pursue another survey of those present at this year’s Peace Memorial Ceremony, which will be held in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui spoke at a general inquiry session during a regular meeting of the Hiroshima City Council, stressing, “The current situation, in which A-bomb survivors and family members of the A-bomb victims are disturbed by this noise during the ceremony, could damage the public welfare of fulfilling the basic purpose of the Peace Memorial Ceremony.” The city also announced its intention to measure sound levels during the ceremony this year.
Based on the survey results and discussion with the city council, Mr. Matsu said, “I would like to consider effective measures, including the enactment of an ordinance, prior to the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing next year.” He was responding to a question from Tsuneyasu Kido, a city council member representing Asakita Ward, who is part of the civic club of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Last December, the City of Hiroshima mailed the survey to 3,000 randomly selected citizens who were 18 years of age or older. People who had attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony or watched it on television in the past five years were asked whether the voices from loudspeakers were noisy or not, and whether further measures should be taken to maintain a more quiet setting. The respondents could choose from among three options: an ordinance should be enacted; the city should ask the demonstrators to lower the volume of their voices, as it has been doing; and other alternatives. The rate of valid responses was 41 percent.
The groups that hold the demonstration on that day have called repeatedly for the city not to restrict their freedom of speech. Terumi Oe, the co-chair of the August 6 Grand Action, which organizes the demonstration, criticized the city by saying, “I protest the fact that the city is putting pressure on us, trying to trample on our freedom of speech.”
Careful consideration is needed before enacting an ordinance: Comments by Akihiro Kawakami, Associate Professor at the Hiroshima Peace Institute, Hiroshima City University, who specializes in constitutional law
Freedom of speech is an extremely important constitutional right for democracy. The city must give careful consideration before enacting an ordinance to regulate it. There may be some room for discussion to limit the “time, place, or means” of expression, but this right should not be restricted unless we are faced with imminent danger or there is no other alternative.
I appreciate the city’s efforts to follow proper procedures, such as conducting a survey of the people of Hiroshima. However, the contents of the questionnaire should be examined closely. For example, they should be asking people whether “they think the purpose of the Peace Memorial Ceremony is being hindered by voices from loudspeakers” rather than “they feel disturbed by the loud voices during the ceremony.” The argument that “an ordinance should be enacted merely because those voices are unpleasant” is unreasonable.
Meanwhile, the groups should explain why they want to hold their demonstration in the middle of the ceremony, and not before or after. The city needs to thoroughly discuss how the Peace Memorial Ceremony should be held by, for instance, convening a town meeting.
(Originally published on June 19, 2019)
