Key Facts
On May 8, 2025, a bipartisan council convened to discuss potential regulations on social networking services (SNS) during election campaigns. The meeting included representatives from Japan’s ruling and opposition parties, who focused on addressing the spread of misinformation and defamatory content on platforms like Google, X (formerly Twitter), LINE, and Yahoo. The council conducted hearings with these major platform operators to better understand their current measures for combating false information and verifying user identities.
Ichiro Aisawa, chair of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Election System Research Council, emphasized the significant impact of misinformation and online harassment on elections. He called for a collaborative effort among political parties to study the relationship between SNS and elections and to determine an appropriate course of action.
The Liberal Democratic Party is considering legal amendments to clarify the responsibilities of platform operators, including the swift removal of posts that infringe on others’ rights. However, concerns about balancing these measures with constitutional protections for freedom of expression have led to cautious deliberations. The council plans to continue discussions among parties to address these challenges.
During the hearings, platform operators expressed reservations about stricter regulations. They highlighted the difficulty of verifying the accuracy of election-related information and raised concerns about the feasibility of implementing such measures. Some lawmakers also questioned the potential impact of suspending payments to content creators during election periods as a deterrent to spreading misinformation.
With the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election scheduled for June and the House of Councillors election in July, Aisawa acknowledged the time constraints for enacting new legislation. Speaking on an NHK program on May 3, he stated that passing laws within a short timeframe would be challenging and stressed the importance of thorough and careful discussions, even if it means delaying decisions until after the upcoming elections.
On May 8, 2025, a bipartisan council in Japan held discussions on strengthening regulations for social networking services (SNS) during election campaigns. Representatives from both ruling and opposition parties conducted hearings with major platform operators, including Google, X (formerly Twitter), LINE, and Yahoo, to evaluate their current measures against misinformation and user identity verification.
Ichiro Aisawa, chair of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Election System Research Council, highlighted the influence of misinformation and online harassment on elections. He urged political parties to collaborate in studying the role of SNS in elections and to establish appropriate guidelines.
Platform operators expressed concerns about stricter regulations, citing challenges in verifying the accuracy of election-related information. Lawmakers also debated the potential impact of suspending payments to content creators during election periods to deter misinformation.
The Liberal Democratic Party is considering legal amendments to clarify platform operators’ responsibilities, such as the prompt removal of posts violating others’ rights. However, balancing these measures with constitutional protections for freedom of expression remains a key concern. With upcoming elections in Tokyo and for the House of Councillors, Aisawa acknowledged the difficulty of enacting legislation within a short timeframe, emphasizing the need for thorough discussions.
