Tatakarete mo Tatakarete mo, mata Atama o dasu Mogura no yo ni (Like Burrowing Moles: Grassroots Movements and Free Speech)

This chapter discusses the growing problem of “soft censorship” in the Japanese media. The notion of “soft censorship” has been used by the Open Society Institute and others to describe a situation where free speech is in theory protected by law, but where various extra-legal pressures are used to deter critical reporting on certain significant political topics. I argue that soft censorship has become increasingly evident in Japan over the past decade, and examine some strategies used by grassroots movements to protect and enhance freedom of speech.