Tokyo’s runoff election, through which a file 56 candidates ran, exceeded the expectations of the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Fee, and there was not sufficient house for poster billboards. In an uncommon scenario, some candidates used clear recordsdata to fill the bulletin board house. There was additionally a discover board with loads of posters put up, as if by “jack” folks, who did not appear to need to win.
“What are the identical posters hanging up?” On the twenty first, the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Fee had acquired greater than 1,000 complaints and inquiries. How do voters view this example, which can query the equity of the election?
◆23 similar posters…Flickr with clear recordsdata outdoors the body
It was after 1pm on the twenty first. On a bulletin board close to the Tokyo Metropolitan Authorities Constructing in Shinjuku Ward, a poster in a transparent file hung outdoors the body face down within the rain and swayed each time the wind blew. There are 23 different posters with the identical design on the discover board. A 64-year-old part-time worker from Suginami Ward, who was wanting on the poster, seemed on the poster outdoors the body and mentioned with a sigh, “I really feel dangerous for her.”
A poster posted on a billboard close to the Tokyo Metropolitan Authorities Constructing. A poster outdoors the body was falling off because of the rain, at 6:48pm on the twenty first in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
There are posters from the identical lady on the discover board. One other poster is barely seen in a transparent file hanging outdoors the body when the wind picks up. A good friend of mine, a 63-year-old lady from Musashino Metropolis, appealed the necessity for countermeasures, saying, “That is the primary time I’ve discovered that there are not any restrictions on the content material of the posters. take into consideration how to do that sooner or later.”
On one other bulletin board close by, posters hung outdoors the body with out being enclosed in clear recordsdata had been falling within the rain. Even on the bulletin board in entrance of JR Koenji Station in Suginami Ward, all that stands out is the adhesive tape on the again of an out-of-frame poster.
A poster was frolicked of body at a billboard close to the Tokyo Metropolitan Authorities Constructing. Filed in clear, wanting down from the rain, on the twenty first in Shinjuku, Tokyo (Picture by Okuno Hello)
A person in his 70s from outdoors Tokyo, who was taking a look at a billboard close to the Taito Ward Workplace, mentioned, “That is horrible.”There have been 24 posters with the phrases, “I believe individuals who pay license charges to NHK idiots.”A 69-year-old male workplace employee from Bunkyo Ward who was at a close-by bus cease shook his head and mentioned, “There isn’t any level in bulletin boards anymore.”
A number of billboards round Kinshi Park in Sumida Ward had been additionally “jacked” with posters of the identical design asking issues like “Deport the poor!” Aged folks cease and highschool college students stroll by pointing at it, and it positively appears to catch their eye. A 64-year-old male workplace employee from Nerima Ward, who was there for a enterprise assembly, pointed to the digital camera on his smartphone and mentioned, “We have to do one thing a few system the place folks can go away by deposit to pay. We must always do a extra thorough preliminary screening.”
◆There are solely 4 items… “Is that this additionally the Tama distinction?”
Within the Tama space, billboards are noticeably white. In Ome Metropolis, there are locations the place solely 4 sheets are put in. A self-employed man (66) mentioned sarcastically, “There are in all probability loads of them within the metropolis heart, however that is additionally one in every of “Tama” variations. (Hello Okuno, Kana Ogata, Eriko Oshikawa, Natsuko Konno)
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◆ “Freedom of speech” was used.
Concerning the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Fee’s response to the “lack of areas” for election posters, lawyer Atsushi Katagi, who’s accustomed to Public Workplace Election Legislation, mentioned, “Though the candidacy was submitted later, there’s a drawback there since. equity perspective. If it is getting tougher, a lot the higher.” to be displayed on public discover boards.”
Poll field (file photograph)
Junichi Oizumi, chairman of the Electoral System Sensible Analysis Group, a common company affiliation, commented on the poster of an almost bare lady and the big variety of similar posters that had been put up, saying, “Principally, folks must be free to do . something they need contained in the bulletin board, however… “If that is taken benefit of, freedom of speech can enhance something.” “It is exhausting to set a restrict,” he mentioned, including, “If most individuals suppose it’s normal sense,” it is likely to be there to take measures akin to management. it’s by laws.”
On the evening of the twentieth, the Metropolitan Police Division summoned a candidate who displayed a poster of an almost uncovered lady to the principle workplace and issued a warning. What was enforced was not the Public Elections Act, however the Tokyo Metropolitan Nuisance Prevention Ordinance, which prohibits obscene speech and habits in public locations, and this seems to be the primary time it has been enforced on election posters. A senior officer of the Metropolitan Police Division emphasised, “We’ll warn them and arrest them if they don’t comply, we can have no alternative however to arrest them.”
Concerning the “bulletin board jacking” in the identical poster, one other senior investigator identified, “Since there isn’t any provision within the Public Elections Act, there may be nothing we will do about it. overview the authorized system?” (Chitomo Miyake, Wataru Sato)
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◆ The candidates start to warn of “nearly uncovered” posters.
One of many candidates within the German Tokyo election posted a marketing campaign poster exhibiting an almost bare lady, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Division issued a warning concerning the violation of the Municipal Nuisance Prevention Ordinance. The candidate began eradicating the poster on the twenty first Ta.
The candidate instructed reporters on the evening of the twentieth, “I consider that freedom of sexual expression must be assured, so I put up a poster of a girl who was fully uncovered. I assumed it was inside the legislation, however I’ll promptly hearken to the warning.”” he mentioned.
The Ordinance prohibits obscene speech and habits in public locations, and the Metropolitan Police Division’s Group Security Particular Investigation Workforce mentioned, “In comparison with election posters put up up to now, this clearly goes away ( from the suitable vary). this warning will probably be a wake-up name for future improvement.” (Sadatoshi Ogura)
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