TOKYO, April 17 (UPI) -- A controversial travel ban to dangerous countries that is being considered in Japan may be unconstitutional, the Mainichi Daily News reported Saturday.
"The Constitution guarantees the freedom of travel to foreign countries," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. "We have to be careful."
After the release of three Japanese nationals whom insurgents in Iraq had threatened to burn alive, the Liberal Democratic Party said it wants to ban Japanese citizens from visiting dangerous countries, Mainichi said.
"If the legislation comes with penalties, it would run counter to freedom of moving (to a foreign country) as guaranteed by the Constitution," said Yukio Edano, policy chief of the opposition Democratic Party.
"If the government wants to prevent the public from visiting Iraq, just make it clear that the government will not protect those who visit the country."
