Japan Municipal Assembly Livestreaming Sessions To Check On Sleepy Members
The municipal assembly of Ichikawa City in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, has begun livestreaming its plenary sessions via YouTube, even showing faces of members on the floor.
The move came in response to more than 100 complaints the assembly received from residents. Some said members were dozing off or reading books apparently not related to topics debated during meetings, and urged that lazy assembly members be reprimanded.
The assembly had taken footage of members asking questions during sessions. It now shows members on the floor as well.
The footage is made available for checking members' behavior. The assembly hopes this will help them attend plenary sessions with a sense of focus.
One assembly member welcomed the move, expressing hope that future debates will be improved. Another said it's necessary to come up with ways to prevent questions and answers from becoming boring.
The assembly's president, Matsunaga Osami, said he hopes that through the measure, all the members will strive to regain public confidence.