KAMATA Satoshi

The Role of Journalists 
KAMATA, Satoshi 
Belief among citizens of Japan in the necessity of the death penalty 
reflects the "Bushido" tradition, which teaches a brave way of taking 
responsibility for bad deeds. However, neither politicians, nor 
bureaucrats, nor business owners have such bravado these days; what they 
have is resentment against most (so-called?) miserably "bad people." 
Another crucial argument in favor of the death penalty is that it is a " 
restraint." Criminal psychologists exclaim, "(the death penalty) is 
necessary to protect your own daughter."  When they say that, they 
receive applause. 
These arguments are backed by the influence of the media, which promote 
hatred by creating the "figure of a wicked man" out of a suspect.  The 
media want to expand their circulation.  Competition for a large 
circulation or a high audience rating triggers vulgar emotions that 
usually sleep deep inside of consciousness. 
"Wanna see his parent's face." 
"Give it to him!" 
"Commit suicide for the bad deed." 
Whenever I write on abolition of the death penalty, I receive a postcard 
without a name that states "I am in favor of the death penalty." It is 
really a kind of threatening letter. 
Since the poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by Aum, the 
religious cult, the media has rarely discussed the social responsibility 
for crimes.  If someone insists on the human rights of suspects or 
defendants, the media responds with loud criticism, saying that person 
is "living off human rights." 
I think there is a mutual relationship here between feelings of hatred 
among citizens that promote the existence of the death penalty, and the 
resulting retention of the death penalty by the government. 
The death penalty is supported by the darkness in the hearts of 
citizens. To break the relation between the death penalty and hatred 
requires the promotion of tolerance and awareness of human rights. If 
more people think about the fundamental right to live and support a 
government that is based on human rights, the death penalty will be 
abolished. 
The struggle for journalists is to oppose public opinion in order to 
change it, and change the violent government represented by the death 
penalty.