Restrictions on TikTok, China-made apps in Japan to be proposed by LDP
Restriction of the video-sharing app TikTok and other China-made apps will be proposed to the government by the Liberal Democratic Party’s parliamentary rulemaking league, according to sources.
India has already banned its use, and the U.S. government is trying to do the same.
When asked on U.S. TV if Americans should download China-made apps, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “Only if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
In light of these overseas moves, the league, which is led by Akira Amari, the chairperson of LDP’s Research Commission on the Tax System, started discussions with experts during a meeting Tuesday, with sessions to be held for compiling a set of proposals in the near future.
Many young people in Japan use TikTok to easily edit and post short videos. A number of local governments have also teamed up with TikTok to announce policies to young people.
In the proposal, the league is expected to call on the central government to include a clause in the Telecommunications Business Law to restrict the use of China-made apps, considering the security risks. Also expected for inclusion in the proposal is a call to strengthen intelligence capabilities to examine apps that may be leaking information.
Meanwhile, the government has been collecting information on China-made apps through the economic team of the National Security Secretariat and other bodies.
“We constantly watch cybersecurity trends,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at a press conference Monday. “It is important to be careful when posting or registering information that identifies individuals.”