E/CN.4/1998/79 page 18 Reply from the Italian Government 61. With respect to the first allegation of police brutality against the Ghanaian, the Italian Government states that its inquiries failed to confirm that the Ghanaian concerned had been beaten by the police. The photograph reproduced by Amnesty International had allegedly not been taken at Fiumucino Airport and bears neither the names of a witness nor the address of the Pole who took it. The Italian Government considers that the complainant had rather been beaten up in his own country in January 1997 and as a result received medical care in February 1997. 62. As regards the complaint by the woman who was the victim of xenophobic acts and insults, the Italian Government informed the Special Rapporteur that the case between the plaintiff and the police officers whom she resisted when they tried to arrest her was at present being heard. The Italian Government promised to keep the Special Rapporteur informed of any further developments. Special Rapporteur's observations 63. The Special Rapporteur is grateful to the Italian Government for its cooperation and is awaiting with interest the outcome of this case. (d) Japan: Communication dated 7 August 1997 64. The Special Rapporteur communicated to the Japanese Government allegations about messages of a racist character being sent over the Internet. These allegations had been transmitted to him by the International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism. The xenophobic messages broadcast by the “Association for the protection of the Japanese” were directed particularly at members of the Burakumin minority (A/52/471). The Japanese Government replied to the Special Rapporteur on 24 October 1997. Reply from the Japanese Government 65. The Japanese Government provided the following information concerning the above allegations: “(i) Case 1997/1: The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has provided the following information concerning this matter: in June 1997, the 'Association for the protection of the Japanese' of Osaka created a home page of a discriminatory nature, comprising slander and insults directed at the Buraku, handicapped persons and women. This text was eventually deleted by the Internet service provider who had received complaints from other users. “(ii) Case 1997/2: The following incidents, which might be regarded as being related to the point under consideration, were brought to the attention of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications: in June 1997, a message promoting the sale of the opuscule 'Buraku Chimei Sokan' was distributed over 'Cable Net', a service managed by an association called 'Japanese Information Network', which had installed a PC network at Osaka. An inquiry is under way to determine whether this message is still being distributed.”