{
  "id": 9752829,
  "title": "Japan law banning under-18s from election campaigning unconstitutional",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/japan-law-banning-under-18s-from-election-campaigning-unconstitutional",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T11:15:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260925/p2g/00m/0na/053000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Japanese court has declared the law prohibiting individuals under the age of 18 from participating in election campaigning to be unconstitutional. The Tokyo District Court stated that the law infringes upon the right to freedom of expression for those affected, but did not award damages to the four plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, comprising high school students, had challenged the ban, arguing that its purpose and penalties were unclear and lacked a rational basis.\n\nThe legislation in Japan strictly prohibits individuals under 18 from engaging in election campaigning or being involved in such activities. Violations can result in imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to 300,000 yen, and the suspension of civil rights. The plaintiffs contended that the legislative intent behind the ban and its associated penalties were not clear-cut, and that there was no justifiable reason to impose a blanket ban and impose criminal penalties on those seeking to campaign.\n\nThey had sought compensation of 100,000 yen each for the emotional distress caused by being denied the chance to exercise their right to freedom of political expression during elections. The government, however, explained that young people were previously heavily involved in local elections prior to the ban's introduction in 1952, leading to issues related to manpower-based campaigning. The government maintained that safeguarding minors' interests constituted a valid reason for the legislation.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japanese court on Friday ruled that the law banning those aged under 18 from taking part in election campaigning is unconstitutiona",
  "key_points": [
    "Japanese court declares under-18 election campaigning ban unconstitutional.",
    "Plaintiffs argue ban infringes on freedom of expression rights.",
    "Government cites past youth involvement in elections as rationale."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}