The neighborhood association collected signatures via a circulating bulletin board, requesting that the joint liability system not be applied to Mr. Jinnai. Questions have been raised about the neighborhood association's involvement.

 The neighborhood association collected signatures via a circulating bulletin board, requesting that the joint liability system not be applied to Mr. Jinnai. Questions have been raised about the neighborhood association's involvement.

 Regarding the election violation case involving Mr. Hachiro Jinnai (61 years old) =Democratic Party=, who was elected in the Nagasaki City district in the April 2011 prefectural assembly election, it was revealed on July 16, 2011, that signatures requesting the non-application of the joint liability system were being collected by supporters of Mr. Jinnai through circulating bulletin boards of neighborhood associations within the Doikubi District Neighborhood Association Federation.

 Residents have raised concerns, asking, "Is it appropriate to collect signatures through the neighborhood association?"

 In the criminal case, three people were found guilty of violating the Public Offices Election Act by the Nagasaki District Court (all three appealed). These three include the overall organizer and the treasurer. If either of these two receives a sentence of a fine or more, the joint liability system under the Public Offices Election Act will be applied to Mr. Jinnai, rendering his election invalid.

 The aforementioned signatures are being collected by seven of Mr. Jinnai's supporters who initiated the campaign. These supporters argue that "there was absolutely no intention of bribery between the parties involved, so the application of the joint liability system is extremely unfair." 

 Among the initiators is Hideaki Matsuo, the chairman of the aforementioned federation, which is located in Mr. Jinnai's hometown.

 According to a neighborhood association officer belonging to the federation, at a federation meeting held in mid-June 2011, Chairman Hideaki Matsuo requested cooperation in collecting signatures. 

 This neighborhood association, after consulting among its officers, distributed one signature sheet to each household using a circulating bulletin board in early July 2011, stating, "This is a voluntary petition, so we ask that those who can cooperate please do so."

 Chairman Hideaki Matsuo stated, "Having one less locally elected representative would be a disadvantage for the community. Therefore, I requested cooperation from the 13 neighborhood associations.  This is unrelated to election campaigning, and I left the decision to each neighborhood association; there was no coercion, so I believe there is no problem."

Nagasaki Shimbun

July 17, 2011

http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp/kiji/20110717/01.shtml