Photo/Illutration Investigators seize items from the home of Ryosuke Nemoto, a candidate of Tsubasa no To, on May 13 in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward. (Shun Yoshimura)

One weekend evening a month ago, a noisy group entered the restaurant where I was eating.

They included a member of political organization Tsubsa no To who was running in the Lower House by-election from the Tokyo No. 15, as well as his campaign staffers.

It was still early enough for the candidate to be out on the street giving speeches for another hour or so. However, once everyone had finished ordering, they got stuck into their smartphones.

They were viewing footage of themselves harassing rival candidates. One video was of a heckler yelling into a loudspeaker from atop a telephone booth while a rival candidate made a speech.

Another showed Tsubasa no To members hounding and pestering supporters and campaign staffers of other candidates who were working the neighborhood.

“Wow, the views are off the charts,” someone whooped. But another said, “Yes, but how about we do something decent tomorrow?”

The party froze. One member replied, “We’ll discuss this later.”

At least, some insiders must have felt that the organization’s ways were objectionable.

Police on May 17 arrested leaders of Tsubasa no To for disrupting the campaigns of rival candidates.

Before the arrest, the group’s leader had insisted that its members’ actions were within the limits of “freedom of expression.”

How utterly ludicrous. Were that true, any political party would be allowed to mobilize its members and completely crush all speeches by smaller parties or individuals.

And to do so would be tantamount to signing one’s own death warrant.

What I find troubling now is that the arrest could become the cue for endorsing the argument that any citizen who heckles a politician can be charged with “election disruption.”

This sort of argument does not distinguish between good and bad, and as such can put us all on a slippery slope.

I don’t believe all catcalls should be outlawed, nor do I believe they should all be allowed. It couldn’t get plainer than that.

To ensure proper functioning of the election system that is fundamental to democracy, it is not enough to just make everyone follow written rules.

What is needed is a modicum of basic common sense.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 18

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.