A bill that criminalizes the act of damaging the national flag cleared the Lower House by a majority vote?on Tuesday.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party ¡ª also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai ¡ª two of the four co-sponsors of the bill, voted in favor of the legislation.
The other co-sponsors, the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito, both opposition parties, did not participate in the vote, amid a wrangling between the ruling bloc and opposition parties over a bill to reduce Lower House seats.
The Lower House put the bill to the vote only after three days of deliberations despite opposition concern that the legislation would excessively regulate freedom of thought and expression guaranteed by the Constitution. The bill will be sent to the Upper House for further deliberations.
The bill stipulates that imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to ?200,000 be imposed on acts that publicly damage a national flag in a way that causes the public to feel extremely uncomfortable or disgusted.
During the deliberations, the LDP said the bill was designed to protect the public sentiment that values the national flag. In the face of criticism that acts such as burning a national flag have not occurred frequently, the party said the bill was aimed at preventing such acts from occurring.
The LDP and the JIP agreed to enact the bill during the current parliamentary session, set to end in July, as part of their deal to establish a coalition government in October.
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