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On Sunday, a general election was held in Japan to select members of the House of Representatives, the lower house of Japan’s Diet (parliament). However, while voting is an important civic duty, those who had other plans for their Sunday afternoon could register to cast their ballots in advance at special polling places.
However, when one resident of the city of Ayase, Kanagawa Prefecture, showed up to vote early on Saturday, the registration system showed that he’d already been issued his ballot and submitted it. This wasn’t a case of someone trying to vote twice when they’re only allowed to vote once, though. Instead, the problem was that someone who had voted once never should have been able to vote at all.
After looking into the matter, the local election committee was able to determine that two days earlier, on Thursday, October 24, a different resident of Ayase had come into the advance polling place to vote. This person did not have the numbered early voting registration ticket that is ordinarily required, but because the tickets had been mailed late, the person was still allowed in, where they filled out the necessary on-site paperwork, which includes declarations of the voter’s name and date of birth. Since the person’s date of birth matched that of someone registered to vote early, they were given a ballot, which they filled out and dropped in the ballot box.
A review of the paperwork, though, has shown that the name of the person who voted on October 24 does not match the name of the person with that birthdate who had registered to vote early. Instead, the registered name is that of the person who showed up to vote on October 26. In other words, there are two residents of Ayase who have the same birthday. One of them registered to vote early, but the other was actually the first to show up at the polling place, obtain a ballot, and cast a vote.
There are several other layers to the weirdness, one of which is that the person who voted on October 24 is a foreign national. While foreign residents of Japan are eligible for various social welfare benefits, voting remains the exclusive privilege of Japanese citizens, which the Ayase foreign resident is not. This means that the foreigner either decided to roll the dice on walking into the advance polling place and got incredibly lucky in that someone who had registered to vote early just happened to have the same birthday, or the foreigner somehow knew ahead of time that they shared a birthday with someone who’d already registered.
The rightful voter was still able to cast his ballot on the 27th, but, as a final oddity, both ballots, the one from the rightful registrant and the foreigner, will be treated as valid votes, presumably because with Japan having a secret ballot system, there’s no way to track down which ballot was the foreigner’s and void its vote. However, since the foreigner did have to provide his/her name in order to receive the ballot, and apparently didn’t use an alias (considering that the election committee was able to determine the non-citizen status of the person who was mistakenly given the ballot), they’re likely to face some sort of legal repercussions for their actions.
Source: Kanaloco, Sankei Shimbun
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- City council in Tokyo votes on proposal to give foreign residents partial voting rights
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-- Japanese governmental employees in frantic pencil-shaving spree to meet city election day
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2024/10/28/foreigner-accidentally-allowed-to-vote-in-japanese-election-ballot-will-remain-valid/
42 Comments
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wallace
Now for the other 3 million foreigners.
factchecker
Instead, the problem was that someone who had voted once never should have been able to vote at all.
Wrong. People who live here and pay income, land and other taxation subject to residents should be entitled to representation.
sakurasuki
Verification only based on birth date? There's address information, there's name information and even my number, none of them being used in combination?
Aly Rustom
Well said.
THIS!! took the words right out of my mouth!
maxjapank
This discussion is about to blow up. But for those who want to know if other countries allow non-citizens to vote in local elections, just search for Non-citizen Suffrage online. It's not that uncommon, especially for non-citizens who have lived in a country after a period of time.
リッチ
I hope they throw him in jail. No where in the 1st world do non-citizens are allowed to vote in national elections. After a few years in jail a self paid deportation should follow.
nickybutt
I believe that some foreign nationals should be allowed to vote.
Something along the lines of peeople who have lived here for 10 years and have permanent residency would be fair.
didou
I seems that early voters have to register for that. I thought everyone who has the right to vote can just walk in for an early vote.
If that story is right , the foreigner must well know the way it works to vote, but why venture into such a thing.
And in my opinion, if the voter does not have the ticket , the city should have checked ids.
I would suspect the guy is actually a local citizen who tried to vote twice,
Hervé L'Eisa
THAT is wrong. If you want to have the RIGHT to vote, then you can become a citizen and country.
No, even Permanent Residents should NOT have the right to vote. That's insanity.
Okinawa A
I'm a naturalized Japanese. Because of my ethnicity, it is very clear that I am not bi-racial Japanese. etc.
My Japanese family members and I received a postcard some time before the election (by Japan post) to show our eligibility. You take that card and the first reception desk checks it. You then go to the next reception desk where they take it from you and indicate you should go to the neighboring desk where you get your first ballot slip. You vote for that section then progress to each section according to how many votes you may cast that day.
I have absolutely no idea how anyone could vote without proper authorization. And shame on the person for doing so.
VoiceOfReason
As someone who has lived here many years this remains a sore spot for me.
I pay taxes, which includes an exorbitant residence tax.
I pay A LOT into the pension system.
By these actions I am helping to keep Japan afloat and support the elderly population that continues to bleed money from the young.
I should be entitled to vote.
Hervé L'Eisa
Then, become a naturalized citizen!
Do something about your status and stop whining.
Aly Rustom
You certainly have lived up to your username
WoodyLee
"" While foreign residents of Japan are eligible for various social welfare benefits, voting remains the exclusive privilege of Japanese citizens, ""
I hoping that some day Japan will start allowing Permanent Visa holders to vote, unlike many non democratic nations who don't.
kurisupisu
Why the restrictions?
In California, anyone can vote in an election without any form of ID!
Jimizo
The odds on that being true are much higher than your “6/3” odds.
deanzaZZR
All Californian registered voters are sent a mail in ballot. I will complete and mail my California ballot tomorrow. The ballot is sent to your residence and you do need to sign the envelope. Signatures are collected when you register to vote.
bogva
Aside the foreign link I have always wondered how Japanese voting is legal at all.
My son went voting just with his smartphone leaving his purse with the driving license at home.
Showing the postcard can be anyone. Any woman can go twice and vote with my wife's and my daughter's postcard - am I wrong? How the ID is checked if someone doesn't have driving license - it seems only the postcard is the document. Absolutely useless paperwork - all they should have is lists with the voters with registered address at that municipality. I guess it's not that simple and the Japanese way gives you more flexibility to chose where to vote but it's very prone to fraudulent voting.
Abe234
Just because we pay taxes, doesnt mean we should have a vote. Getting off a boat, working for a year, paying tax, shouldnt be the minimum reason to give someone a vote. The No taxation without representaion is an american throw away phrase from th colonies. The world doesnt revolve around american perceptions of democracy. Sadly my japanese isnt good enough to get japanese citizenship, for many reasons, but maybe if you've lived here for 10,15 years, maybe have a family, own property, pay all your taxes etc. Yes, a vote would be a good idea. but to get a vote just because you pay TAX is not a good enough reason otherwise any immigrant can get a vote just because they pay tax. But we should get some say, as we do use all the national services, schools, pensions, social works, roads, police, etc. Might make it a tad easier to get japanese citizenship. The hurdles are what's stopping me.
Even in the the USA you can't get a vote based on TAX. Non-citizens, including permanent legal residents, cannot vote in the US federal, state, and most local elections.
Nibek32
Baby steps
finally rich
Clueless comments as always....
In your head, "Foreigner": an harmless, japanese speaking, tax paying individual who decided to remain on Japan out of love for its country and culture.
Reality: the minute they open the floodgates (voting rights, birthright citizenship, etc) this small island will be torn in half by a tidal wave of communist mainlanders, Japan will never be this peaceful and quiet ever again
iron man
The question is not about permanent residents (10yrs in jpn?) but does that allow R.O.A. R.O.A is the internationally recognized citizenship, requirement. Getting off a plane (I think 3yrs, depends where) allows right to land, no R.O.A NO citizen no vote! but work pay taxes, roads to drive on metros to use etc etc. I got a property in Kansai, leased since 2020, pay taxes, never thought about voting. nah right to.
Watchdog15
*Why? No else does. * NAME ONE COUNTRY THAT ALLOWS NON-CITIZENS TO VOTE.
maxjapank
Why do people whine when complaining about whining? Anyways, people aren't whining, Herve. In fact, in one Municipality, a survey was done where 73.2 percent of the of respondents agreed that foreign residents should be able to vote in local referendums. This unfortunately received backlash from conservative media which led to fear, causing the vote to not pass. But you can see that in general, there are quite a few Japanese who think voting in local referendums is acceptable.
Hervé L'Eisa
Lots of people whine about non-citizens not having the right to vote. THEY SHOULD NOT!
The right to vote is reserved for CITIZENS, and that must be guarded & protected 100%. That's true for EVERY country.
I'm a dual citizen but can only vote in ONE of the two because the second only allows resident citizens to vote.
I would gladly become a naturalized citizen of Japan, but only IF allowed to retain my birthright citizenships. I would never forfeit either birthright.
That’s the way it is at this time. Maybe in the future Japan will recognize multiple citizenships.
Aly Rustom
Who took the words right out of your mouth?
Aly Rustom
Exactly. Japan fits right in
Aly Rustom
Bingo.
Aly Rustom
Uruguay[edit]
Since 1952, 15-year residents have had national voting rights.[3][17]
Venezuela[edit]
In Venezuela, the right to vote in municipal, parish (county), and state elections extends to foreigners over the age of eighteen who have ten years’ residency or more in the country. The provision for non-citizen voting appears in Article 64 of the Venezuelan Constitution of 1999, and has its constitutional roots in a 1983 Amendment to the previous Constitution of 1961.[145]
Wales[edit]
The National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd Cymru or the Welsh Parliament, simply Senedd) passed the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 in November 2019. The Act extended the franchise for local and Senedd elections to 16 and 17 year olds and all other resident foreign nationals holding leave under the Immigration Act 1971. This made Wales the first jurisdiction in the UK that allows non-EU and non-Commonwealth citizens to join the electoral register.[139]
Scotland[edit]
In February 2020, the Scottish Parliament voted to extend the voting franchise for local and Scottish Parliament elections to include any other foreign nationals holding leave under the Immigration Act 1971. Thus, Scotland immediately followed Wales in allowing non-EU and non-Commonwealth citizens to join the electoral register.[140]
Non-citizen suffrage - Wikipedia
Aly Rustom
Sweden[edit]
(EU member) Voting and eligibility rights were granted to all foreign residents with a 3 year residence condition for municipal and county elections in 1975; the first elections with those rules were held in September 1976. The 3 year residence condition was suppressed in 1997 for residents from the EU (in conformity with the European legislation) and the Nordic Passport Union. Voter enrollment is automatic.[53]
Aly Rustom
Heck even South Korea!
South Korea[edit]
Revisions to voting laws in 2005 allow foreign nationals aged 19 years and older who have lived in South Korea for more than three years after obtaining permanent resident visas to vote in local elections. 106,068 foreign residents were eligible to vote in the June 13, 2018 local elections.[124][125]
finally rich
I've read several books about Asian history, I also follow the news from the source, in Japanese, Chinese (and Korean for that matter).
Naive people from the West asking for voting rights for "foreigners" have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, much less the place they live, an extremely limited view of Japan and Asia.
The West and Japan as its proxy are not ready for the level of psychological warfare and dirty tactics crafted in mainland China, neither Japan can carry out any kind of improvement beneficial to its foreign community while excluding chinese nationals. Japan would turn into Hong Kong in no time.
Yohan
There are many more countries which do not allow dual citizenship, more than 50 countries, including my own country in Europe. I am a Japanese permanent resident since more than 40 years. No voting rights in Japan.
And so what? I have no problem with that, I am the owner of my condominium unit, car is registered on my name, I can work - no restrictions, have a good health insurance and I report only one time in 7 years to immigration to change my resident card, can travel abroad any time and can come back anytime...
I enjoy my life as a 'gaijin' in Japan.
CaptDingleheimer
It’s fun to sit here and pretend that we, mostly educated white people from Western countries, are getting our turns in the sun to be some kind of minority civil right victims, we aren’t Rosa Parks; we are guests. This is not our country, and if we’re unsatisfied with that, we can pack up and go back to where we came from.
Don’t like it? Go take the oath of citizenship and give up your foreign passport. If you aren’t willing to do that, you shouldn’t be able to vote. Voting is for birthright and nationalized citizens. People in our positions shouldn’t be able to vote in our home countries, and we shouldn’t be able to vote here.
GenHXZ
After living in Japan for five years, you are automatically 'resident for tax purposes' , yet you have no automatic right whatsoever to be allocated a vote? That would be a violation of human rights in many 1st world countries in of itself.
Sven Asai
Statistically it's almost irrelevant. A few wrong votes or a few votes from foreigners, those have not so much influence, because they would be just simply similarly distributed on all parties. What maybe would have more potential for a different election outcome would be a duty to vote for all citizens, because then the now opposing part would be significantly bigger and be counted as part of the calculations.
CaptDingleheimer
@tokyo_m
I don't think I was unclear, but I'll explain it just for you:
"People in our positions in our home countries" refers to foreign residents who are not naturalized, but who are rather there on non-permanent work or educational visas.
And yes, I am assuming that that is the status of most here who are complaining, because if they were naturalized, they would be able to vote and wouldn't be complaining.