アクセス権・政策参画・当事者  [in Japanese] Right of Access, Policy Participation, Actors Concerned  [in Japanese]

The term 'right of access' essentially has two sides of implication. One is 'disclosure of information,' and the other is 'right of access to press.' The former has been given concrete shape. But, in Japan, the latter has not been legislated. Japanese courts have not admitted the latter side embodied by the governmental authority. The concept 'right of access' should be expanded into 'policy participation,' I insist. Because the stance 'access' has largely aimed to influence the public policy making. And it may be appropriate that <<actors concerned>> have <<right of policy participation>>. For they know the issue under consideration better than any other <observers>. (Of course, communication among actors concerned, citizens and authorities is indispensable.) At the foot of the paper, I suggest the systematization of <<policy participation of actors concerned>>.