A statement of the Pen Club of Japan


　The Pen Club of Japan announced the next statement, according to a son attack case of Mizoguchi Atsushi had been proved as a crime of Yamaken group affiliated with Yamaguchigumi on July 18, 06.

　　　　　　　　　　　　A P.E.N. statement
I protest repeated violence which aimed at a force-out of speech to Mr. Mizoguchi Atsushi

The case that the son of Mr. Mizoguchi Atsushi who is a writer and known for his book such as "An emperor of edible meat" "blood and rivalry ? The third head of Yamaguchigumi" was made a cut on the road. As for the practice criminals, three people were arrested afterwards from the end of May to July. Thought there was a protest against Mr. Mizoguchi by people who belongs to Yamaguchigumi for the sentence which he wrote in January issue of “Monthly Gendai”, the same Yamaguchigumi participants were arrested this time. Therefore, I believe the attack aimed at a force-out of speech activity of Mr. Mizoguchi.

　Mizoguchi is stabbed in a back by a person concerned with a gang in 1990, but a criminal is not yet arrested till now. It was the mean way how attack was turned to the family whom he was unrelated to work of the person himself this time, and, besides, They did not even live together.
　The Pen Club of Japan strongly protests such an act that is going to force speech out by violence by a situation to keep freedom of speech expression, We expects that the whole aspect of the case is elucidated as soon as possible by development of the investigation.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　July 18, 2006
　　　　The judicial person corporation, Pen Club of Japan