The National Police Agency said Monday that 130 people were arrested nationwide for 70 cases of violating the Public Office Election Law.
According to the NPA, more than half of the violations were for bribery, including paying daily wages to part-time workers, providing drinks and meals to workers, as well as harassing voters, TV Asahi reported. In one case, a man even pinioned a candidate against a wall, while in another case, a suspect tore up posters.
Most of the suspects are from Tokyo, Osaka, Chiba and Hyogo, police said.
Police said that during the campaign period from Dec 2 to Dec 14, there were 1,450 cases in which warnings were issued for unethical behavior.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
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Disillusioned
Ah, yes! Democracy Japan style! So, the cops arrested 150 people for bribery and intimidation to sway voters' opinions? You can bet the actual number of incidents us much higher than the arrests.
Alistair Carnell
Only 24% and they're still calling it a 'landslide' and a 'thumping big win' . I also think there were a lot more violations than disclosed. But then again, this whole election was a sham, played with a marked deck, loaded dice.
Stuart hayward
Interesting the article says nothing about who these people were working for, I'll bet the majority of them are Abe supporters.
hereforever
So this is how the LDP wins. So Sunday's election is invalid? They will hold another election? Or the article has been posted, swept under the carpet and in 72 hours everyone will forget it.
DeDe Miura
Yes, those are the obvious ones - other types of quieter coercion was probably used en mass....
John Galt
The Soka-Gakkai party has a colorful history in doing just this sort of thing. And, yes, they co-conspire with LDP goons.
That Guy
The march backward continues.
smithinjapan
Stuart: "Interesting the article says nothing about who these people were working for"
That would go against the secrecy law if it pointed to the LDP. If it were any opposition party, trust me, they'd be mentioned. The majority of these obvious violators (who likely won't be charged with anything given whom they likely support) are probably right-wing nuts, and we all know they support Abe. Keep in mind that many workplaces practically force their workers to vote one way or another (or at least if its found out they voted someone else they are in a world of hurt!), so you can bet this is only the tip of the iceberg.
CrazyJoe
The LDP received a total of 17.65 million votes. The rest (opposition) received a total of 26.46 million votes. How could this be a landslide for the LDP? Abe better learn some arithmetic. With regards to graffiti, I've seen a few posters with handlebar mustaches here.
citizen2000
This is recently something usual after every election in Japan, unfortunately, they seem to never actually invalid the outcome, even when courts rule vote invalid :
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201303260085
papigiulio
only 1? it shouldve been way more.
shonanbb
All those posters would be targets for graffitti in most places in America, but here, no one touches them. It is against the law actually. But think of all the mustaches Bugs Bunny could do.
nath
Klausdorth.
A lot has changed since their split from. Nichiren Shoshu.
I expected election fraud again but not so soon, give it a few weeks and some officials heads will roll again for misusing funds, etc.
Christopher Glen
In an ideal world the results of the election would be declared null and void. But we are talking about Japan after all
nath
Soka Gakkai has no monetary motives.
They don't charge anything, volunteer and publications funded. I pay 603yen/month for 2 publications and Zilch else.