(Fact Check) Concerning status in speeches or acts, we sought to confirm whether the following is an accurate statement: “A government official’s speech of support or or that of government staff and such are illegal”? (28jy25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Crepe Ginger, roadside Uruma, 21jy24

Facing the opening of ballots in the House of Councilors Election on 20 July, The Ryukyu Shimpo carried out  a fact check on statements and such on the internet and in debates.


For this article, we inspected SNS posts which call for a vote to “restructure the path” of political groups. The contents of one post, taken from a post on X, formerly Twitter, on 18 June, reads as follows: “Should Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike support a Tokyo Residents First policy? In fact, that is an infringement of section 136 of the Public Employee Election Law, which states, ‘Public Employees are banned from election activities which make use of their position’, is it not? Moreover, (text omitted) let’s prosecute it!”


This post refers to the Tokyo Assembly Election in June, when  Tokyo Governor Koike’s support for a candidate was questioned.

　

However, we have verified that in the House of Councilors Election for the Okinawa Election District, Governor Denny Tamaki also gave speeches of support for the All Okinawa candidate, as did every mayor for the Liberal Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate.


In our judgment, the inaccuracy lies in a misreading of the statutes.


Section 36 of the Local Public Employees Law restricts “political activity”. However,  the law does not apply to governors, mayors, and other such leaders because of their special work. Still, section 136.2 of the Public Employees Election Law has this rule, “Public employees and such are prohibited from using their status in election activities”. 


The Okinawa Prefectural Election Committee explained, “Elected leaders are also subject to that rule”. In concrete terms, the rule strikes at solicitation of votes from subordinates and such by using the influence of high status or using the power of professional duties to accumulate financial assistance.


The Prefectural Election Committee noted, “We judge examples by their individual specifics. But, it is inaccurate to say giving a supportive speech for  a candidate in a campaign is an infringement of law. It is important to keep an eye out so status is not used in speeches or activities.”


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Saturday 19 July 1025 at 13:24. Byline: House of Councilors Election Fact Check Squad.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/baaf646a61cd92e122a1dd5a353098e677d5290d


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 


This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 


Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.


Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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