Japan Restoration Party Member Convicted of Violating Public Offices Election Law: Updates on Kiyonari Maekawa’s Trial and Verdict

2023-07-19 07:16:00

Kiyonari Maekawa, a member of the House of Representatives of the Japan Restoration Party, has been charged with violating the Public Offices Election Law for sending a letter to an unspecified number of voters to vote for him before the 2021 House of Representatives election was publicly announced. In the trial, the Osaka High Court in the second trial rejected the member’s claim of innocence, and following the first trial, sentenced him to a fine of 300,000 yen.

Kiyonari Maekawa (60), a member of the House of Representatives of the Japan Restoration Party, ran for the 1st district of Nara and was re-elected through proportional representation. Mailing “election postcards” to people in the electoral district and documents asking them to fill in the names and addresses of their acquaintances and send them back to them is a way to encourage an unspecified number of voters to vote for themselves. He was accused of violating the Public Offices Election Law as an act of calling.
The Nara District Court in the first trial handed down a guilty verdict of a fine of 300,000 yen in January this year, and the lawmaker’s side has appealed, and the lawmaker’s side has claimed innocence following the first trial, saying, “It does not constitute an election campaign.” was
In the judgment on the 19th, Osaka High Court presiding judge Hidenori Nagai said, “The people on the list have nothing in common other than being graduates and living in Nara, and they cooperated in election campaigns. It’s not a group with built relationships that you can expect to do.”
After that, he said, “There is a wording requesting a vote in the document requesting address writing, and it is an act that can be expected to have a direct effect on voting, and it is a substantial request to vote.” Following the first trial, the fine was 300,000 yen. handed down a guilty verdict.
If the ruling becomes final, it will suspend your civil rights for five years and prevent you from running for office in any election.

[Rep. Maekawa “Unwilling and disappointing”]
After the ruling, Kiyonari Maekawa, a member of the House of Representatives of the Japan Restoration Party, held a press conference and said, “I was fully aware that I should not ask for votes, but it is very surprising that the high court recognized it as the purpose of obtaining votes. It is reluctant and regrettable to
When asked regarding his own progress and retreat, he said, “It’s not something I can make a decision on my own, so I’d like to consult with the Nara Prefectural General Branch.” I’m assuming.

[Ishin Nara Prefecture General Branch Representative Yamashita]
Regarding the conviction of Kiyonari Maekawa, a member of the House of Representatives, in the second trial of the Osaka High Court, Governor Yamashita of Nara Prefecture, who is the representative of the Nara Prefecture General Branch of the Japan Restoration Party, said, “We take the verdict seriously. The branch office will decide following consulting with the individual.”

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