May 11, 2026
JCA-NET Board of Directors
RightsCon2026 was canceled just before it was set to begin, a development that came as a major shock to those around the world engaged in online advocacy. While JCA-NET fully recognizes the importance of RightsCon as an international conference, we had not planned to attend. We lacked the budget for in-person attendance, did not have members fluent in English or other foreign languages, and, since our top priority was the Takaichi administration’s cyberwarfare policy, we simply did not have time to prepare. However, since this conference is not organized by a government or the United Nations, but rather is the largest international conference organized by civil society NGOs involved in the movement for the right to internet communication—and since it was to be held in Africa—we believe we cannot overlook its cancellation. The following is JCA-NET’s position on this matter.
According to AccessNow’s statement, the reason for this cancellation is that the Zambian government, under pressure from the Chinese government, decided not to allow Taiwanese organizations to participate. Since this statement comes from the organizing group most deeply involved in RightsCon’s preparations and communications with the local government, we accept it as fact.
Interference by Major Powers in International Conferences
We do not think we should simply accept the exclusion of Taiwanese organizations and prioritize holding the event. In that sense, we regard the cancellation decision as unavoidable.
It is not uncommon for major powers to block foreign participation in important international conferences. Last year, the United States prevented PLO Chairman Abbas from attending the UN General Assembly. Japan also refused to issue visas to some participants at the IGF held in Kyoto in 2023. This is not limited to China; it reflects a common stance among major powers and represents a structural problem.
Beyond the specific case of RightsCon, one of the core challenges of the digital rights movement is protecting the digital rights of socially vulnerable groups—such as migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers—from the agendas of major powers and regional geopolitical dynamics. We are concerned that the most vulnerable communities—the very ones we should be supporting—are being routinely excluded from international conferences.
At the same time, alongside this exclusion, it is highly likely that various forms of human intelligence are being mobilized to steer the direction of international conferences in line with the agendas of major powers. We presume that major powers are attempting to seize control of influential international conferences through such efforts. The greater the influence that civil society exerts on global governance—alongside governments and corporations—the stronger the potential for such intervention to become. There are regions in the world, such as Taiwan, that are not treated appropriately within the framework of the United Nations. It is critically important for grassroots movements to more actively support the participation in conferences of people working in these regions, including Taiwan, which is excluded from the “international community.”
The Issue of Corporate Sponsors
As a fundamental principle, we must not equate the state with the diverse people living within its borders. It is crucial to prioritize the agency of these diverse people above all else, rather than the existence of the state. As an organization based in Japan, JCA-NET believes that—despite human and financial constraints—it is our duty to prioritize the fight against restrictions on communication rights imposed by the Japanese government, particularly the exclusion and discrimination social minorities in Japan face.
Regarding RightsCon, we should reconsider including companies that are complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza as sponsors. In particular, companies specifically named in the UN Special Rapporteur’s report as bearing corporate responsibility for genocide should not be permitted to serve as sponsors. Not only at RightsCon, but at international conferences in general, we should, as a matter of principle, strive to exclude support from companies that contribute to the use of cyberspace as a means of warfare, and instead seek funding through individual donations or similar means.
We must rigorously assess the risks posed by financial dependence on companies engaged in businesses that conflict with digital rights. We should not prevent people employed by such companies from participating; rather, we should establish initiatives that serve as vital platforms for whistleblowing and similar activities.
Excluding Taiwanese Participants Is Unacceptable
Given that this issue has arisen specifically in relation to participation from Taiwan, we, as Japanese organization, believe this provides important implications for the future of the right to communication movement in Japan and this region.
From a historical perspective, Japan has a past of colonial rule and war crimes, including the annexation of Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula, as well as the invasion of mainland China to establish a puppet state. Furthermore, Japan is a country that has consistently evaded responsibility for these past actions. From the pre-war era to the present, Japan has continued to maintain the imperial system, which lies at the core of its war responsibility.
Japan supported the postwar military regimes in South Korea and Taiwan and has hosted numerous U.S. military bases. In this way, Japan has continued to be complicit in wars, from the Korean War and the Vietnam War to the current war in Iran. Although Japan is in decline, it remains a major power in this region. Furthermore, as a U.S. ally, Japan is a major factor in the destabilization of this region. Based on this historical understanding, we wish to work toward international solidarity as much as possible.
On the Situation in East Asia
The Japanese government is stoking fears of a “Taiwan contingency” and advancing war preparations, including in the cyber domain. Many people from the Korean Peninsula, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan live in Japan. Tensions in East Asia and the Japanese government’s war preparations are having a negative impact on these minority groups within Japan. Furthermore, there is a growing trend of hate speech and anti-foreigner sentiment within Japan. On the other hand, relations between South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan have a long history of solidarity movements, including anti-nuclear campaigns, popular movements demanding accountability for Japan’s colonial rule and war crimes, and peace movements. In Hong Kong as well, collaboration among various social movements had continued for a long time until the Umbrella Movement and the pro-democracy movement were suppressed; however, such collaboration has now become nearly impossible.
We believe there are various constraints on grassroots solidarity movements with people living in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), China, and the Russian Far East. In particular, JCA-NET’s collaboration with organizations in East Asia is insufficient, and we view this as a key challenge for the future.
On the other hand, in countries such as China, North Korea, and the Russian Far East—which make up the majority of East Asia—digital rights movements are virtually nonexistent. There is no citizen-led regional collaboration, nor is there any prospect of it emerging.
As a Japan-based organization working on communication rights, JCA-NET will, at the very least, stand in solidarity with social movement groups and NGOs, resist the transformation of the digital realm into a battlefield, and oppose the Takaichi administration’s policies that undermine human rights and privacy to the greatest extent possible.
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