Regarding the issue where the Sanseito Party excluded a Kanagawa Shimbun reporter from their press conference on the 22nd, the party posted their reasoning on their official website on the 24th. The content contains factual inaccuracies that cannot be overlooked, and we strongly refute their claims while demanding responsible action as a public political party.
When our reporter was denied access to the press conference on the 22nd, the party cited “lack of prior registration” as the reason. However, their latest statement claims it was due to “concerns of potential disruption,” effectively admitting their initial explanation was false. This behavior is unacceptable for a public political party expected to act responsibly, and we strongly protest their misleading statements.
The party’s new justification for the exclusion alleges that during the election period, the reporter “was confirmed to have collaborated with a group called ‘Shibaki-tai,’ engaging in disruptive acts such as loud slander during our street speeches.” This accusation is based on clear factual errors and is entirely unacceptable.
At the street speeches, the reporter’s actions as part of their coverage involved pointing out and countering the candidate’s claims—such as “foreigners are given preferential treatment”—which were factually incorrect and promoted discrimination. Challenging the unchecked spread of discriminatory remarks is neither slander nor election interference.
Other voters present at the scene, sharing similar concerns, also raised voices of protest against the discriminatory remarks. Furthermore, no group called “Shibaki-tai” exists—it is an internet slang term used to label people as a “violent mob.” It is deeply concerning that a public political party would use such language against citizens.
The Sanseito candidate repeatedly made baseless claims during street speeches, making it necessary to question their true intentions at the press conference. The party argues that livestreaming the conference on YouTube means our claim that they “disregarded the public’s right to know” is unfounded, but this is nothing short of abdicating their responsibility as a public party. Press conferences are not for party propaganda but serve as a crucial platform for journalists to ask questions and uphold the public’s right to information.
The Sanseito Party’s statement is not only doubly and triply flawed but also unjustifiably justifies media exclusion, revealing their lack of accountability as a public party. We correct the record through this statement and strongly protest their attempt to silence dissent by cherry-picking media.
