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A30 world news
Diamars 15 December 2020

Japan mayor defends councilwoman's ouster over assault claim

the town because of its heavy there was consensual sex. signed to expel one side of a
dependence on tourism. “There was absolutely noth- sexual assault dispute is ques-
ing at all,” he said. tionable.
Arai, the only woman in the
Kusatsu town assembly, ac- Kuroiwa is seeking a crimi- Arai says she stands by her al-
cused Kuroiwa in an online nal investigation of Arai as legation. She said in a state-
book in November 2019 of well as defamation damages ment this month that the
forcing her to have sex with in a civil suit. He accused her referendum was initiated by
him in his office in 2015. of making false allegations assemblymen trying to expel
against him to pressure him her, rather than by residents.
A month later, the town as- to change a decision over a She said the town's reputa-
sembly voted to expel Arai, hot springs policy. tion is being hurt by the ref-
but the decision was over- erendum, not by her allega-
turned by the Gunma prefec- The case is seen as an exam- tion against the mayor.
tural government. ple of how women who raise
their voices over alleged sex- Arai declined to comment
(AP) — The mayor of a Arai lost her seat in a Dec. 6 ual assaults are often treated Monday in response to Ku-
Japanese hot springs re- Nobutada Kuroiwa, the town referendum by a vote of in Japan. It is extremely rare roiwa's news conference, say-
sort town on Monday de- mayor of Kusatsu, a famous 2,542 to 208. for victims of assault to go ing she would have to consult
nied sexual assault allega- hot springs resort north of public. her lawyer. So far she has not
tions by a former assem- Tokyo, said at a news confer- Kuroiwa on Monday called taken any legal action against
blywoman and defended ence that Shoko Arai had to Arai’s allegation “100% a lie Kuroiwa said the recall ref- the mayor. She is expected to
her dismissal, saying he be voted out of office because and fabrication” and said erendum was a difficult but tell her side of the story in a
wanted to protect the she wrongfully accused him there was not even room for unavoidable choice. Experts separate news conference lat-
town’s reputation. of sexual assault, endangering an argument over whether say holding a referendum de- er this week.

S. Korea bans flying of leaflets toward N. Korea by balloon

(AP) — South Korea’s parliament the legislation is intended to avoid global diplomacy on North Korea’s meant to inform our parents, broth-
on Monday approved contentious unnecessarily provoking North Ko- nuclear program. Moon’s govern- ers and sisters that we’ve found after
legislation criminalizing the fly- rea, to ensure the safety of people ment says that agreement must be ap- our arrival here that South Korea isn’t
ing of propaganda leaflets by bal- who live near the border, and to se- plied to civilian leafleting, but oppo- a living hell or an American colony
loon toward North Korea, despite cure stable relations with the North. nents argue the accord didn't clearly like we had been taught there,” Park
fierce criticism that the country Opponents accuse Moon of sympa- prohibit it. said. “Is this that wrong?”
is sacrificing freedom of expres- thizing excessively with North Korea
sion to improve ties with the rival or yielding to North Korean threats The bill’s passage came six months In 2014, North Korean troops opened
North. over the leafleting. after Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo fire at propaganda balloons flying to-
Jong, responded furiously over what ward their territory, triggering an ex-
The legislation passed with the sup- “This is a law that will block the she called South Korea’s inability to change of fire that caused no known
port of 187 lawmakers, mostly gov- flow of South Korea’s great values, halt civilian leafleting and demanded casualties.
erning party members who support the spirit of democracy, freedom and it ban the activity. She called North It’s unclear whether the bill’s passage
President Moon Jae-in’s policy of equality, to North Korea,” conserva- Korean defectors involved in the leaf- might promote ties between the Ko-
engagement with North Korea. Out- tive opposition lawmaker Tae Yongho leting campaign “human scum” and reas.
numbered opposition lawmakers said during a 10-hour speech. “It’s a “mongrel dogs.”
didn’t attend the vote after their at- law aimed at joining hands with Kim After nuclear diplomacy stalled last
tempt at delaying the balloting with Jong Un and leaving North Korean Moon’s government responded that year due to wrangling over U.S.-led
nonstop speeches was foiled by gov- residents enslaved for good.” it would introduce an anti-leafleting sanctions, North Korea halted nearly
erning party lawmakers and their al- law and press charges against some all cooperation with South Korea. It
lies who used their three-fifths su- Tae was a senior North Korean dip- activists. But an angry North Korea hasn’t responded to a South Korean
permajority to halt the speeches in a lomat in London before defecting to went ahead with a threat to blow up offer of coronavirus-related coopera-
separate vote. South Korea in 2016 and was elected an unoccupied South Korean-built li- tion. But observers say North Korea
to South Korea’s parliament in April. aison office on its territory, in its most may push for reconciliation with
It was the first time that South Ko- significant provocation in more than South Korea again when it wants a
rea’s parliament has passed a bill for- The bill will take effect three months two years. new round of diplomacy with U.S.
mally banning civilians from floating after being promulgated by the gov- President-elect Joe Biden's adminis-
anti-North Korea leaflets across the ernment, which is regarded as a for- Tensions further rose in September tration.
tense border. South Korea has previ- mality. A lawyers’ group in Seoul ear- when North Korean troops fatally
ously banned such activities only dur- lier said it would file a constitutional shot a South Korean fisheries offi-
ing sensitive times, and has normally appeal if the bill is passed. cial found on a floating object in the
allowed activists to exercise their North’s waters. Kim Jong Un later
freedom of speech despite repeated Under the legislation, anyone flying offered a rare apology for the killing.
protests from North Korea. leaflets, auxiliary storage devices or
money toward North Korea without After weeks of investigation, Seoul
Activists and defectors from North government permission can be pun- police last month requested that
Korea have for years used huge he- ished by up to three years in prison prosecutors indict nine leafleting ac-
lium-filled balloons to carry leaflets or a fine of 30 million won ($27,730). tivists for allegedly violating laws on
criticizing North Korea's nuclear The same penalty can also be applied inter-Korean cooperation, pollution
weapons program and human rights to blaring loudspeaker broadcasts or and embezzlement.
record, USB sticks with information placement of giant billboards at bor-
about world news, and U.S. dollars. der areas, but no civilians in South Among them is Park Sang-hak, a
Observers say North Korean leader Korea are known to have been in- North Korean defector who accused
Kim Jong Un likely saw the leafleting volved in such activities. the Moon government of “meanly”
as a threat to his absolute rule over his passing responsibility for strained
25 million people, who mostly have Moon and Kim agreed to halt Cold inter-Korean ties to him and fellow
little access to outside information. War-style psychological warfare and activists.
lower animosities when they met in
Lawmakers aligned with Moon say April 2018 at the start of now-stalled “The leaflets that we’ve sent were