Controversial Sequel of Hyogo Gubernatorial Election

After reelection of former governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture, doubts on Saito’s campaign keep on appearing. Another candidate in the gubernatorial election made offensive speech to Saito’s political enemy without seeking winning in the election. Saito had paid money to a firm of public relations for his campaign, which is doubted as a violation of law. Hyogo gubernatorial election left unexpected results on democracy in Japan.

The election was held after Hyogo Prefectural Assembly passed a non-confidence resolution against Saito with suspicion of illegal investigation on a staff of government of Hyogo Prefecture, who revealed Saito’s harassment. The election resulted in Saito’s victory with certain margin against Kazumi Inamura, former Mayor of Amagasaki with support of twenty-two mayors in Hyogo Prefecture.

 

Saito’s victory was reported as integrated strategy of using social networking services (SNS), such as X or YouTube. A number of voters voted on the basis of information obtained from SNS. Although Inamura tried to use X for her campaign, her campaign account was frozen twice, being disturbed opportunities to appeal her policy to the voters. Inamura campaign argues that false postings rushed into the account simultaneously. It is known that an account of X can be shut down when it violates rules of X. Inamura campaign filed a lawsuit with charge of fraudulent business obstruction.

 

One of the candidates of the election, Takashi Tachibana, the head of the Party to Protect People from NHK, focused his campaign on supporting Saito. It is highly unusual for an election to have a candidate who does not seek winning in the election, but supporting another candidate. Tachibana posted slanders on X and YouTube accusing the chairman of investigation committee of Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, Ken-ichi Okutani. Okutani filed a lawsuit against Tachibana with charge of defamation.

 

Tachibana also made explicit speech in front of Okutani’s house, calling his name with large volume. Okutani reported Tachibana to the police about the damage made by fraudulent business obstruction.

 

It was also reported that a manager of public relations firm revealed that she was in charge of campaign strategy of Saito. The firm took photo of Saito for publishing Saito’s profile and launched official account of Saito’s campaign. Saito admitted that he had paid 700 thousand yen to the firm. It is supposed that payment for rewarding support for the campaign violates Public Office Election Act. Saito denied illegality of his payment.

 

It has been reported that SNS strategy determines result of election. While it is true in local elections, the victory of the Democratic Party for the People in the general election of the House of Representatives in October was also known as victory of SNS strategy. Information in SNS sometimes includes false facts. However, there is no effective regulation against disseminating false information through the SNS so far.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when ...
Read more

Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, ...
Read more

Not A Royal Wedding

The bride called her husband an indispensable existence and their marriage was necessary choice to protect their mind. The groom insisted on his life as only once and his right to be with his loved one. Her father wanted his daughter’s marriage to be celebrated by the people. The people were not sure whether the family was happy as a whole. Is this the traditional Japanese social system that makes no one happy? Mako Komuro, as known as Princess Mako during her life in one of the royal family Akishino, held on Tuesday a press conference with her husband Kei Komuro, right after submitting marriage report to local government. It was something different from ordinary Q&A session, because Mako was afraid of her mental uneasiness brought by some questions not based on truth. So, the event was actually one-sided speech to the reporters. Mako emphasized that the Kei’s decision of studying abroad five years ago had not been his original idea, but a result of her request to establish an over...
Read more