LAMVIC stands for LAwyers network for Media VICtims. Prevention is most important in cases involving defamation or the violation of privacy by the news media, but thinking that it is also meaningful to take quick action once harm has occurred, some 30 attorneys who have put their efforts into gaining relief against harm caused by the news media gathered last year on July 18 to establish this organization.
Before LAMVIC was established a questionnaire survey was carried out. According to that survey, those people who suffered some sort of harm due to a news report or news gathering were, at the time of the news gathering, completely occupied with coping with the matter that was the subject of the news gathering itself, and had no time to spare to deal with the problem of the media. Also, those people who thought about taking some kind of action to cope with the news media did not at the time think of consulting an attorney.
Premised on this state of affairs, this organization was established in the belief that there is a demand for a network of attorneys who can quickly deal with situations in which the media is about to cause harm or has already caused harm.
It is not quite one year from the establishment of LAMVIC, but it already has received 30 to 40 consultations, either by telephone or through its internet site (http://hodohigai.hoops.livedoor.com). In one case, a member attorney flew immediately to Hokkaido, and as a result of quick negotiations, reached an agreement within four days after the article in question was published whereby an apology and correction would be published. This was carried in the next day's morning edition, resulting in a resolution of the matter. Most matters about which LAMVIC is consulted go no further than the consultation itself, but there is currently one case in which a lawsuit is planned. When there is defamation or an invasion of privacy by the mass media, family and community life as well as personal relations in the workplace are disrupted, and the injured party falls into wretched circumstances. In the case where the media makes a false report or invades a person's privacy, we expect that the media, sincerely accepting the seriousness of the damage, will handle the matter in a positive manner. Is it not that very attitude on the part of the media that gives strength to the freedom of the press?
At this time bills for the Human Rights Protection Law and for the Personal Information Protection Law have been submitted to the Diet. While the purpose of LAMVIC is the quick and accurate relief of harm caused by the media, we also believe that interference with the media by government authorities is inexcusable. From that point of view, we can never accept the contents of these bills. In the unfortunate case that there is harm caused by the media, we believe that if the media takes the stance of positively striving to provide redress for the harm in question, the media will be able to receive the support of the people. Was it not the very inadequacy of the media's stance in this regard that led to the submission of the bill for a so-called “media control law?”
While LAMVIC is still a small organization operating mainly in the Tokyo area, in the future we would like to expand the number of our members with the same goals throughout Japan, and be prepared to be able to provide speedy relief from harm caused by the media. At the same time, we would like to strongly urge the media to establish an independent relief organization such as a press council.