Contiguity of "freedom of communications on the Internet" with "freedom of broadcasting" (2010)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the extent of contiguity of "freedom of communications on the Internet" with "freedom of broadcasting" ensured in Article 21 of Japan's Constitutional Law. With the development of "convergence" between telecommunications and broadcasting, the former freedom takes on a similar aspect of the latter in the sense that it allows more restrictions than normal "freedom of expression" by other media. However, it is still required to draw a line between the two freedoms given a variety of differences of them.