Wakayama Prefecture is facing scrutiny following allegations related to campaign interference during the gubernatorial election, particularly involving social media account suspensions. The focus is on Kazumi Imamura, the former Mayor of Amagasaki, who recently contested the Hyogo gubernatorial race but lost to the incumbent, Motohiko Saito, by over 130,000 votes.
During the election period, Imamura’s support committee reported significant disruptions to their campaign efforts due to sudden suspensions of their social media accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter. These incidents occurred between November 6 and November 12, with the committee claiming the suspensions were prompted by numerous falsified reports from unspecified individuals, aiming to undermine their social media campaign just days before the election.
Imamura’s lawyer, Tsukui Susumu, stated during a press conference on November 20, "We did not have ill intentions against any specific individual. We want to raise questions about human rights and the future of elections." His commentary highlighted the intention behind the legal actions initiated by the campaign team, which filed complaints against those responsible for the alleged false reports.
According to Tsukui, the suspension cost the campaign approximately 24,000 potential opportunities to engage with voters during those ten days. “There were about 24,000 opportunities to provide information lost during the ten days of suspension of accounts,” he explained, emphasizing the severe repercussions of such actions on democratic processes.
Further complicity arose from the dissemination of misleading claims against Imamura, including allegations asserting he planned to spend 100 billion yen on office relocations and sought to advance foreigner suffrage. These false statements contributed to the perception of Imamura’s campaign, prompting additional legal action for violations of the Public Election Law.
Imamura’s support committee has stressed, "We believe the election system should change to avoid undermining human rights..." Their intent is clear: to shine light on electoral interference and advocate for the establishment of fair practices for future elections.
The race was particularly crowded, featuring seven candidates vying for the gubernatorial position, where Saito secured approximately 1.11 million votes against Imamura’s 970,000. Despite the loss, Imamura’s support team emphasizes the need to question the integrity of electoral processes rather than the results themselves.
Following the allegations, the police accepted the committee's complaints of obstruction of business via false reports and violations of the Public Election Law. The investigations are set to identify the individuals responsible for the reported false information. “We are not questioning the election results themselves but rather the manner of the election process moving forward,” stressed Imamura’s support committee.
Tsukui concluded the press conference with calls for society to reconsider the significance of social media during elections. "We hope to question the role of social media within elections going forward. Such acts create serious disruptions to the fundamental freedoms of electoral activities," he said.
With social media increasingly becoming pivotal to modern campaigning, the subsequent investigation following these allegations could bear substantial consequences for the integrity of future elections, emphasizing the necessity to uphold democratic principles and protect candidates from unjust sabotage.
