High court dismisses journalist's claim against Syria travel ban

The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling supporting a Foreign Ministry order requiring a Japanese freelance photographer to surrender his passport because he would likely find himself in danger if he traveled to work in war-torn Syria.In the lawsuit, Yuichi Sugimoto, 60, claimed that the order was an infringement of his right to freedom of travel and of the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution. The lower Tokyo District Court dismissed the case in April.Presiding Judge Toshimasa Fukami said, "Freedom of travel can be restricted for the sake of public welfa…READ FULL ARTICLE