Lower House Shelves Plans to Lift Ban on Tablet Computers in Plenary Sessions
The Lower House of Japan's National Diet has decided to postpone plans to lift the ban on the use of tablet computers in plenary sessions. This decision comes despite earlier efforts to accelerate the digitalization of parliamentary procedures.
The move was prompted by concerns raised by lawmakers from multiple parties during a meeting on April 4th. These concerns centered around the potential impact on the "authority" of proceedings if tablet PCs were used on a daily basis.
The meeting also included discussions on the use of tablet PCs and other paperless solutions at both plenary sessions and committee meetings. However, the views of former speakers and vice speakers of the Lower House, shared during the meeting, ultimately led to the conclusion that lifting the ban would be "difficult."
One of the concerns cited was the "issue concerning authority." Former Lower House speaker Bunmei Ibuki reportedly expressed strong reservations about the use of tablet computers, arguing that politicians should be fully engaged in the proceedings and not distracted by online research.
Despite these concerns, Takashi Endo, the Diet affairs panel chairman of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), pointed out that tablet devices are already being used in many committees within the Lower House. He questioned how their use could damage authority and expressed frustration with the lack of progress on digitalization.
However, Shunichi Yamaguchi, chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Lower House, countered that only a small number of politicians currently use tablet electronics. He emphasized the need for further discussion and verification before lifting the ban.
In the meantime, the Lower House has approved the paperless publication of committee reports and the online disclosure of details of lawmakers' visits to destinations outside Japan. These measures represent a step towards digitalization, even as the debate on tablet use in plenary sessions continues.