Photo/Illutration This education ministry document asks libraries for cooperation in offering more books about the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea. (Shunsuke Abe)

Librarians around Japan are raising concerns their independence may be in jeopardy after the education ministry asked them to stock more books about North Korea’s abductions of Japanese nationals.

Following the Cabinet Secretariat’s instructions, the education ministry sent a document to public and school libraries, asking them to help maintain public attention toward the issue.

Ministry officials said this is the first time it has made a request to libraries regarding a specific theme for books.

The request has alarmed librarians about potential government overreach and whether this could infringe on the freedom of libraries to independently collect and offer books for residents.

“While the central government may feel it is doing the ‘right thing,’ it is somewhat frightening if it holds the attitude that it is only natural to seek such cooperation,” said one librarian in his 50s who works at a public library in Chiba Prefecture.

He said he received an email from the prefectural government with an attached document from the education ministry.

The document said further stimulation of public opinion is needed to resolve the abduction issue.

It suggested that libraries create book displays ahead of the seven days from Dec. 10 to 16, a week set aside to increase awareness about the issue, so that students and residents can more easily access books on the abductions.

The librarian brought up the document at a meeting of fellow librarians, and several of those attending raised concerns about the central government making such a request.

Another librarian in his 50s working at a Nagano prefectural senior high school said requests of this kind have an even greater effect on school libraries because children tend to not question the information provided to them.

An education ministry official said the document was released after a request was made from the Cabinet Secretariat department in charge of dealing with the abduction issue.

One official said there are no plans to retract the document since it does not infringe on the freedom of libraries.

A Cabinet Secretariat official said the request was intended to increase awareness among young people about the abduction issue, which has been the focus of government attention every year.

The official insisted the request is unproblematic and does not constitute government interference since it is not an order.

But on Oct. 11, Sadao Uematsu, chairman of the Japan Library Association, submitted an opinion paper to the education ministry that said the request could not be accepted.

The document said the central and local governments should not try to influence what books are selected by libraries on the grounds that each library should independently select books based on its users’ right to information, as well as by following individual library standards.

In 1954, the Japan Library Association agreed on a Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries, which touched on the history of libraries cooperating with government propaganda efforts that lasted until the end of World War II.

“Libraries shall not be impeded by power of governing authorities or social pressure, and shall guarantee full access to library collections and their physical facilities to the people, by clearly recognizing their responsibility,” the statement said in part.

(This article was written by Ryo Miyazaki and Satoshi Tazoe.)

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