The top court has ruled that the Japanese government’s decision not to reissue a passport to journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who was held captive in war-torn Syria for more than three years, was illegal.
The Supreme Court’s decision, dated Wednesday, upholds lower court rulings in favor of Yasuda, a 51-year-old freelance war reporter who was freed in 2018. He brought his case to court in 2020, arguing that denial of a passport violates the freedom to travel abroad guaranteed by the Constitution.
According to the latest ruling, Yasuda asked in January 2019 for his passport to be reissued after he returned home following his release from captivity. His passport had been taken from him while he was held captive by a militant group in Syria.
But later that year, the Japanese Foreign Ministry rejected his application on grounds that Turkey had imposed a five-year entry ban on Yasuda following his release. The passport law stipulates that the government may restrict passport issuance if a destination country denies that person’s entry.
After he returned home, Yasuda was met by strong criticism by some people saying his action in traveling to Syria was irresponsible. He was further criticized when issuance of a new passport was rejected and he decided to sue.
© KYODO