Japan’s Flag Desecration Bill Threatens Rights

By Human Rights Watch

Click to expand Image The emperor's 66th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, February 23, 2026. © 2026 Louise Delmotte/AP Photo Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), along with its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People, and Sanseito, jointly submitted a bill on June 16 that would criminalize “publicly damaging, removing, or defacing” Japan’s national flag in a “way or situation that evokes significant discomfort or disgust in people.”The bill proposes penalties of up to two years in prison or a maximum fine…

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