[Naturalized citizen Yoshinaga Ai] A graffiti poster sadly posted repeatedly calling for the protection of Japan → It turns out that the crime was actually perpetrated by a Chinese person　

The following is from X

[Posted by Yoshino Rinko]

引用元　https://x.com/yosirin555/status/1935977981572436397

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Everyone's comments

• Enough already! Stop trying to turn it into discrimination and exclusion.
• What is the word for "Hataku"? Please tell me! [Chinese]
• No, I'm sure someone other than you can be an immigration expert. There's no need for naturalization.
• It's not discrimination, it's distinction. Someone who doesn't even know where you're from is being brazen after only living here for 22 years.
• If I fight for the Chinese, it's reasonable to expel you for the Japanese.
• If you want to save the [Chinese] people, just go back to [China].
• Let's use Japanese properly. In the last line, I wrote "correct the mistake."
• If you pass a law to allow Chinese people in Japan to return to China with you, I'll vote for you.
• If you don't do it for [Japanese] people, does that mean that even though you've naturalized, your soul is still [Chinese]?
• I heard that you are against the forced deportation of foreigners. Please tell me the reason. I also think that one of the reasons why the conflict with foreigners has arisen is that the benefits that foreigners currently bring to [Japan] are not being communicated to the public.
• [Japan] I've never seen graffiti like that before. It's obvious that you did it yourself lol
• There are no Japanese people in [China] so please do as you like in [China]. Don't do anything unnecessary in [Japan].
• Your nose looks unnatural. Is it a prosthesis?
• The reason why immigration issues create conflict with people from other countries is because, without exception, the flow of people is one-way, from developing countries to developed countries.
• Conflicts arise because "culture flows from high to low, and people flow from low to high."
• It's like illiterate Indians or Africans immigrating to [China], can you imagine that?
• I was surprised that he didn't understand that responsibility was entirely his own belief.
• Be politically active in your own country
• It seems your thoughts are different from mine.
• I am completely in favor of distinctions and war limited to [Chinese] people!
• You say you will fight for the Chinese and naturalized people in Japan, but you're not Japanese.
• Let me state it plainly: I hate [Chinese] people!
• It's just a matter of distinguishing between what you dislike and what you like.
• Aren't you fighting for the [Chinese] people? There's no mention of fighting for the [Japanese] people in your language, and not even a single word like "for Japan"? That's why you get criticized, isn't it?
• The only foreigners who can coexist with Japan are those who respect Japanese culture and society. Japan is easy and sweet, so we don't need any foreigners.
• I don't know what you're fighting for, but if you're not willing to work for all Tokyo residents and for [Japan], then you should quit voting and leave [Japan].
• A Chinese Communist agent. Destroying things from the inside. If this passes, Atami might become a reality.
• You can see why [Chinese] people are hated, right? They insult, they commit illegal acts, they deceive, they lie, they cover up. In this situation, if I were to say that I would fight for [Chinese] people as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, I can see that I would be met with backlash. That's why I am subjected to such harassment. If you want to complain about discrimination, then go ahead and do it. I think it will only anger [Japanese] people, though.

JapanNewsNavi Editorial Department A's Opinion

Graffiti on posters reflects the fragility of politics

When I heard about this incident, I couldn't help but be shocked at how much the space for political expression has been disrupted. The election poster of Ai Yoshinaga, who is running in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election from Meguro Ward, was vandalized, and when it was spread on social media, a video of the candidate herself holding up the poster in tears and making an appeal was posted.

Originally, posters during elections are public notices, and vandalism and graffiti are clearly illegal acts, i.e., election interference. Regardless of which candidate it is, or which political party it belongs to, it should be dealt with severely as an attack on "fair elections," which is the foundation of democracy.

Moreover, it has become clear that the source of the graffiti was an account believed to be of Chinese nationality, making this a serious problem that goes beyond the scope of a simple prank. Freedom of expression should be respected, but it is a completely different story when it is used to interfere with the election activities of others and to disrespect the country's election system itself.

Be wary of being misunderstood as being the work of Japanese people

What particularly caught my attention was the strong appeal made by Yoshinaga's supporters to "make it clear that this was not the work of a Japanese person, but a Chinese person." At first glance, statements that touch on nationality tend to be treated with sensitivity, but in this particular case, I think it was necessary to make the information clear in order to prevent prejudice against Japanese people due to misunderstandings.

This is because if things continue as they are, the impression that "Japanese voters who are disgusted by Yoshinaga's political stance have insulted the poster" will take root, and this could distort the mood of the entire election. If this spreads rapidly through social media, it could lead to distrust of candidates and an impact on voting behavior that cannot be ignored.

I believe that conveying the facts accurately is not an act of inciting discrimination or division, but rather an act of presenting the facts to society as material for rational judgment. The fact that the person who posted the graffiti was Chinese national and that he may have done so with a clear intention is information that should not be overlooked, especially in the public arena of an election.

Election interference represents a challenge to democracy

At first glance, the act of graffiti itself may seem like a child's prank. However, when it is done in a political context, it can also be seen as "oppression of thought" or "information manipulation." Ai Yoshinaga is running for office with the message "protecting Japan." Regardless of the merits of her argument, the attempt to suppress her argument with destructive means is an attack on freedom of speech.

If it is true that the election interference was carried out from an external foreign account, this is not simply a personal attack, but it cannot be helped that it is perceived as hostility that shows disrespect for the national system itself. At the very least, if such incidents are repeated, it will give the wrong impression internationally that the domestic election system is a "vulnerable mechanism that can be manipulated from the outside."

As someone who supports Japanese democracy, I believe we must take a firm stance against such actions. Whether we agree with the candidate's ideology or not, the freedom to run for office, freedom of speech, and freedom of elections are guaranteed to all citizens, and we cannot tolerate a situation in which these rights are trampled upon.

I feel that this incident is a symbol of the fragility of elections in the age of social media, and also a moment that tests our resolve as Japanese people. In order to not tolerate outside interference, we ourselves must first have a strong sense of "protecting Japan's institutions."

This can only be achieved by imposing "equality under the law" and "respect for the rules" on everyone, not by excluding certain countries or people. Through this incident, I was reminded of the importance of protecting freedom of speech and the dignity of democracy.

Written by: Editorial Department A