Photo/Illutration Leaders of political organization Tsubasa no To, Atsuhiko Kurokawa, right, and Ryosuke Nemoto, during a news conference on April 8 (Yuka Honda)

Police on May 17 arrested leaders of political organization Tsubasa no To over unruly and obnoxious behavior that hindered the campaigns of rival candidates in the Lower House by-election in Tokyo in April.

The suspects, accused of obstructing freedom of election in violation of the Public Offices Election Law, are: group leader Atsuhiko Kurokawa, 45, from Asaka, Saitama Prefecture; Ryosuke Nemoto, 29, the organization’s secretary-general, from Tokyo’s Nerima Ward; and Hayato Sugita, 39, a campaign staffer whose residence is unknown.

Nemoto was one of nine candidates in the by-election in the Tokyo No. 15 district held on April 28. He finished last following his campaign that seemed primarily focused on annoying and harassing rivals, sources in the Metropolitan Police Department said.

According to police, the three suspects on April 16, the first day of official campaigning, interrupted speeches given by supportors of Hirotada Ototake, a 48-year-old candidate, in front of JR Kameido Station in Koto Ward.

When they were addressing onlookers from Ototake’s campaign vehicle, Tsubasa no To members sat on top of telephone booths and used microphones to drown out the speeches.

Police said their acts made it difficult for people to hear the speeches, and they issued a warning to Tsubasa no To on April 18.

But the three continued to repeatedly interfere in the campaigns of several other candidates, including by following their campaign cars, the sources said.

Some campaign vehicles fled to police stations to escape the pursuit. And to avoid Tsubasa no To, some candidates later refrained from making speeches in the streets or kept their schedules secret.

After the election, police received damage reports from several candidates, including those supported by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People.

Natsumi Sakai of the CDP won the by-election.

It is extremely unusual for a candidate to be arrested over suspected interference in another camp’s election campaign.

“(Their actions) went beyond the limit and cannot be overlooked,” an MPD representative said about the arrest decision.

Police have not revealed whether the three suspects have admitted to the allegations. But possible evidence against them has been supplied by the suspects themselves.

During the campaign, the three streamed a series of videos on YouTube showing their actions directed toward the other candidates.

On May 13, police searched the office of Tsubasa no To, as well as the homes of both Kurokawa and Nemoto. A campaign vehicle, computers and other items were seized.

In response to the election incidents, the DPP, Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and other parties have called for revisions of the Public Offices Election Law to strengthen penalties for election interference.

“Elections are the most important and fundamental opportunity for citizens to participate in politics,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news conference on May 17. “In order for elections to be fair, campaigning must be conducted freely.”

Asked about revising the law, Hayashi said the matter “should be discussed by each faction of each party, as it is a matter related to election campaigns.”

Both Kurokawa and Nemoto have announced their intention to run for governor of Tokyo. The gubernatorial election will officially start on June 20.

(This article was written by Tabito Fukutomi, Arata Mitsui and Shohei Sasagawa.)

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