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Japan to censor 'killing' Web sites
Japan will attack the spread of "illegal and harmful" Web sites in the wake of a series of Internet-based incidents involving suicide pacts and homemade bombs. The government has decided to restrict access to such Web sites on the Internet at government offices, public schools and other state-funded organizations. It said it would commission software manufacturers to design Web-based filters that block access to Web sites that arrange group suicides or show how to counterfeit money or make explosives, among others. In June a high school student hurled a bottle of explosives mixed with nails into a classroom that he made based on instructions found on the Internet, injuring 58 students. The government will also encourage and support a "voluntary" restriction of "harmful" Web sites by Internet service providers and will set up a study group on the issue later this month. The government will also form a study group in August to look into voluntary rules to be made by Web content providers. "How to distinguish 'harmful' from 'safe' content is expected to be one of the most intensely discussed matters," a trade ministry official said. "Voluntary rules could include providing information about Web site contents, which is similar to X-rating certain movies." According to the National Policy Agency, the number of the Internet-related crimes in 2004 doubled from 2000 to 2,081 cases. These included child prostitution via mobile phone E-mails, the distribution of obscene materials and assisting of suicides.
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