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2013/02/13
DPJ decides draft policy for lifting ban on Internet election campaigning
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A general meeting of the Political Reform Promotion Headquarters (Chaired by DPJ Supreme Advisor Katsuya Okada) was held in the afternoon of 13 February at party headquarters. The meeting decided on a DPJ draft policy concerning the lifting of the ban on Internet election campaigning.
Okada stated the following with regard to the election system for the House of Representatives, “A basic concept for discussions on the reduction of the total number of seats and the election system was compiled during the previous session of the Diet. What we now need to do is focus our discussions, in line with that basic concept. Ever since the formation of the DPJ, the issue of political reform has been one that we have prioritized. We will make efforts to take the lead in improving the present political situation.”
The main contents of the DPJ draft policy on lifting the ban on Internet election campaigning (draft bill to partially amend the Public Offices Election Act) are as follows: (1) Lift the ban on election campaigning via the Internet and other electronic means (enabling any person to engage in election campaigning using websites and e-mail), and (2) Lift the ban on sending election campaign-related e-mails (making it possible for election-related e-mails to be sent to any person). These contents aim to give voters a greater degree of freedom.
At the same time, in response to concerns that opening election campaigns to the Internet could invite libellous posts and impersonation, the following points have been incorporated into the draft policy: (1) Obligation to disclose e-mail address, etc., (contact information) for all persons engaged in the distribution of literature and images relating to election campaigning or criticisms of other candidates, and (2) Obligation to disclose name and e-mail address, etc., (contact information) of all persons who are the senders of e-mail-based election campaign information or information designed to criticise other candidates.
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