A Japanese passport bans travel to Syria!

13 Apr 2015

The Japanese government decided to issue a passport for an experienced war photographer that specifically bars him from going to violence wracked Iraq and Syria. The move came because of the brutal murders of two Japanese citizens (Kenji Goto, Haruna Yukawa) in Syria, so it was under Japanese law to protect the life of the holder, however it was the first such instance against a journalist since Japan’s modern constitution came into force seven decades ago. Sugimoto, 58-year-old photographer, received a new passport on Thursday, imprinted with the words: “This passport is valid for all countries and areas except Iraq and Syria.” He said that considering what he had done in the past 20 years, he absolutely couldn’t accept that he wouldn’t be allowed to travel to Syria and Iraq and Report from there. He promised to fight his government until he’ll get a regular passport, “I want to continue to demand a normal passport that every ordinary citizen receives,” he said. The case has made an argue in Japan some people think that the journalist has the right to travel anywhere he wants nevertheless some agreed that it’s a big risk and the government did the right thing.