Plenary sessions of Japan’s House of Representatives were closed to the general public as an “anti-terrorism” measure following the September 11th terror attacks in the United States. Despite the fact that there is little proof of any serious terrorist threat against Japan, the ban on public attendance has not been lifted and only those with special invitations from lawmakers can view the proceedings in person.

Reiko Oyama, a political science professor at Komazawa University in Tokyo, said enforcing restrictions on public attendance in the gallery for such a lengthy period on grounds of terrorism concerns appears to run counter to the Constitution.

Article 57 stipulates that “deliberations in each House shall be public.” The House of Councilors is still open to visitors.

The Lower House permitted members of the public to watch plenary sessions on a first-come, first-served basis in 1946, a year after Japan’s World War II defeat and before the Constitution was promulgated. That practice went uninterrupted until October 2001.

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