TSURUGASHIMA, Saitama Prefecture—After being pushed into a corner by online critics and her colleagues, an assembly member here who seeks to end discrimination against foreigners is gradually gaining support.

Earlier this month, the city assembly of Tsurugashima in Saitama Prefecture adopted a resolution calling on member Megumi Fukushima to refrain from using her official title in posts on social media.

The problem was that her posts, such as “Oppose discrimination against foreigners,” were angering certain elements, leading to bomb and death threats.

The 18-seat assembly’s unusual resolution was approved in the name of ensuring safety.

But reports of the resolution have now raised criticism against the assembly.

Yoko Shida, a professor of constitutional law at Musashino Art University, said that for assembly members, public expression via social media and street activities “is a crucial form of communication, and the right to explicitly state their official title falls under freedom of expression.”

Shida said the Tsurugashima city assembly’s request to Fukushima to refrain from using her title “constitutes a restriction on her freedom of speech.”

Whatever the case, Fukushima said she has no intention to comply with the resolution, which is not legally binding.

BATTLING ‘HATE SPEECH’

Tsurugashima is a bedroom community of around 70,000 people located near the center of the prefecture.

Fukushima, 44, who was born and raised in the city, was first elected to the assembly in 2023, running as an independent. She gained 827 votes.

She is one of three female assembly members and is its second-youngest member.

Fukushima has been active on social media platforms, such as X and YouTube, and identifies herself as a member of the Tsurugashima city assembly.

Her posts oppose discrimination against foreigners, including the Kurdish community in the prefecture. Her content also shows herself protesting “hate speech” sites.

According to Fukushima, the backlash against her surged immediately after she posted in March about her attendance at a Kurdish festival.

In mid-June, one of her critics uploaded a post on X that included the city government’s phone number and urged people to “make protest calls” against Fukushima.

Over two months to late July, the city government and the city assembly secretariat received about 150 opinions regarding Fukushima’s words and actions through emails and telephone calls.

The majority of messages demanded her resignation or stated she “lacks the dignity of an assembly member.”

In response, Yoshihiro Uchino, 60, chairman of the city assembly, asked Fukushima on three separate occasions to refrain from posting on her social media accounts.

Fukushima refused, saying, “Local assembly members who fight against discrimination are needed.”

The situation took a dark turn on the evening of July 22, when a message was delivered through the city’s online contact form.

It stated: “During July, I will kidnap and stab to death Tsurugashima city assembly member Megumi Fukushima with a knife. I will bomb Tsurugashima city hall at 1 p.m. on July 25.”

City officials immediately consulted with Saitama prefectural police.

According to the city assembly secretariat, the assembly held an all-member meeting the following day, July 23, to discuss how to respond to the threat.

But Fukushima did not attend.

Citing disruptions to city hall operations and identifying Fukushima’s public statements as a contributing factor, the assembly decided to issue a resolution.

“I thought the city assembly needed to take some kind of action to quell the turmoil,” said Motomitsu Yamanaka, 62, a member of the assembly’s Komeito faction who proposed the resolution.

Due to the threatening message, the assembly canceled an Aug. 3 event planned for elementary school students to experience and learn about the city assembly system.

Tadayoshi Ota, 76, an assembly member of the Japanese Communist Party faction, said, “I supported the submission of the resolution out of a desire to resolve (the situation).”

On Aug. 4, the city assembly adopted the resolution concerning Fukushima by a vote of 14 to 1.

The two-member JCP faction—consisting of Ota and Yukihiro Kojima, 73—initially supported the resolution.

However, they reversed their stance before the final vote after concerns were raised from within the JCP that the resolution “could restrict Fukushima’s activities.”

Ota abstained from voting while Kojima cast the only dissenting vote.

“The resolution amounts to censorship and ultimately plays into the hands of the perpetrator (who made the threat),” Kojima said.

Chairman Uchino on Aug. 5 defended the assembly’s move.

“There is absolutely no intention to restrict (her) political speech,” he told reporters. “It is simply a request for a little consideration.”

One assembly member who voted in favor said, “It was a difficult decision made with the city residents in mind.”

WE’RE NOT KAWASAKI

The Kawasaki city assembly in Kanagawa Prefecture chose a different approach when a death threat was made against a female assembly member who had advocated the eradication of hate speech.

In late July, under the chairperson’s name, the Kawasaki city assembly issued a statement, stating, “Physical or psychological attacks against freedom of speech, even if merely implied, risk creating a chilling effect and, as an act that undermines the very foundation of parliamentary democracy, are absolutely unacceptable.”

Fukushima apparently brought up Kawasaki’s strong stance against threats to her assembly’s leaders.

She held a news conference in Tokyo on Aug. 5 and said she was told by the chair and vice chair of the Tsurugashima city assembly, “Kawasaki is Kawasaki, and we are us.”

Fukushima said, “I am disappointed with the Tsurugashima city assembly’s response.”

Since the resolution was reported by news media, the city government and assembly secretariat said they have received more than 140 comments.

While negative views of Fukushima continue, there has also been an increase in criticism directed at the resolution itself, with some people questioning whether it impedes freedom of speech, they said.

THREAT TO DEMOCRACY

Professor Shida repeated the concern raised by Kojima.

“By imposing restrictions on the assembly member’s speech in this instance, the city assembly has inadvertently empowered the perpetrators and caused a serious distortion in freedom of expression, a cornerstone of democracy,” Shida said.

“While the reality may be that the city assembly aimed to peacefully resolve the situation marked by an onslaught of protests and even bomb threats, by passing a resolution that catered to the intentions of a few individuals who voiced extreme opinions, it has effectively validated their views.

“It is desirable for the city assembly to voluntarily withdraw the resolution, arguing that it is inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution."