AICA International joins the art community and civil society of Japan, in calling for the urgent repeal of the controversial Flag Desecration Law, passed in July 2026 by the Japanese Diet.

This law, that criminalizes public damage or defilement of the Japanese flag has been extensively opposed because it posses a threat to Freedom of Speech . Human Rights organizations have called it a violation of basic liberties and legal experts in Japan who advocate for its repeal, state that the law, in failing to be clear in what constitutes an offence and by merely citing ‘discomfort’ and ‘disgust’ by the public, as the basis of an offence has core ambiguities that can have serious implications. These can be exploited to curb Freedom of Speech, which is protected by Article 21 of the Constitution of Japan.

The Hinomaru has been extensively used as a symbol of dissent and defiance by Japanese artists. Under the Flag Desecration Law, these art works from the past, and in future, will be vulnerable to censorship. The artists too can face legal action for merely exercising their artistic freedom.

Japan is a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which guarantees the right to express, practice, and share one’s culture free from censorship or persecution. Critical art that addresses social and political issues is clearly protected under this convention.

AICA, the representative body of art critics based in Paris since the 1940s , is active across the world with around 5500 members in 90 countries. One of its objectives is to protect the ethical and professional rights of its members and defend impartiality and freedom of artistic expression worldwide. The Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee of AICA actively monitors cases of censorship and violation of freedom of expression and artistic rights.

AICA urges the Legislators of the Diet to withdraw the Flag Desecration Law so Japan can comply with its obligations to protect freedom of expression.

Sincerely,

On behalf of AICA

Malgorzata Kazmierczak, President of AICA International
Niilofur Farrukh, Chair of the Censorship Committee

This statement is also available in PDF format: Download the PDF