Tokyo installs extra-large campaign boards ahead of metropolitan assembly vote
With less than a month to go before the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on June 22, municipalities across the capital have begun setting up large poster boards to accommodate a potential surge in candidates.
In some areas, boards with up to 70 slots are being installed, a move also intended to prepare for the House of Councilors election that will follow shortly after.
The initiative comes in response to last year's record-setting Tokyo gubernatorial election, which saw an unprecedented 56 candidates vying for office. Many local governments had prepared boards with just 48 slots, forcing late filers to resort to posting their campaign posters materials outside the designated space using plastic folders and thumbtacks — an unusual and improvised solution.
'In the current climate, it's difficult to predict how many candidates will run,' said one municipal official.
According to the Election Administration Commission, the last time the metropolitan assembly and Upper House elections overlapped — in 2013 — the maximum number of slots provided by any local government was 30.
But with a steady rise in candidates and the emergence of new political parties, the Tokyo government issued updated guidance in March recommending boards with around 72 slots for dual use in both elections.
While the layout and installation of the boards are left to each municipality's discretion, some are taking cost-saving measures. Suginami Ward has adopted the suggested 72-slot format and added a separate lightweight overlay with 27 slots for the Tokyo assembly race, leaving a large blank space around it. After the local election concludes, the overlay will be removed.
In Shibuya Ward, officials have opted to overlay the right side of the larger House of Councilors board with plywood tailored to the Tokyo assembly election. To avoid voter confusion, the unused portion of the board will be concealed during the local campaign period.
Due to site constraints, Shibuya can only accommodate 64 slots, but plans to add an extra row if candidate numbers exceed expectations.
This year's assembly race will also mark the first application of revised rules under the public offices election act requiring candidates to maintain the decency of their posters. The Election Administration Commission is ramping up efforts to publicize the changes and alert candidates to the new standards.
The legislation follows a rare show of unity between ruling and opposition parties, prompted by incidents during last summer's Tokyo gubernatorial race in which some public bulletin boards were marred by posters unrelated to the election.
Concerns over the integrity of elections have grown amid the spread of fake and misleading information on social media. Authorities have also been alarmed by the emergence of so-called "double horsepower" campaigns, in which individuals run for office without any real intention of winning, instead seeking to drum up support for another candidate.
Translated by The Japan Times
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