ABSTRACT
Liberal notions of freedom of expression and equality in Japan have historically been relatively weak given the longstanding dominance of conservative values within political and cultural spheres of Japanese life. This chapter argues that an ascendancy of conservative values and sensibilities has increased under the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government from 2010 onwards and has contributed to a further erosion of liberal freedoms with threats to freedom of expression, in particular freedom of the press, freedom of the arts and academic freedom on the increase. The chapter explores not only the LDP government's increasingly oppressive attitude to liberal values, but also highlights how the conservative sensibilities of Japanese civil society threaten freedom of expression more generally and in doing so stifle opportunities for creativity and public deliberation.
