Tachibana Criticizes Media for Ignoring NHK Party, Warns of Radicalization Risks
Takashi Tachibana of the NHK Party, whose words and actions are gaining more attention following the Hyogo Prefecture gubernatorial election.On November 29, he made public the contents of the PC of a Hyogo Prefecture government employee who had committed suicide. Then, on December 2, when it was revealed that lawyer Nobuhiro Gohara had filed a criminal complaint against former Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito for violating the Public Offices Election Act, Tachibana declared on his official X account,
“I believe this is a completely false accusation by lawyer Gohara.”
This has led to a battle of accusations.
However, just before this, an important ruling was made regarding Tachibana’s “NHK Party.” In a lawsuit where the NHK Party had sued journalist Tomohiro Ishiwatari, known as “Election Watcher Chidai,” for defamation, the Tokyo District Court dismissed the plaintiff’s claims on November 27.
The case was dismissed without contesting the facts.
The origin of the matter was in July of this year, during the Tokyo gubernatorial election, when Ishiwatari made statements on social media and video sites about the NHK Party’s use of election boards.
“An antisocial cult group”
“Something like Aum, but without the sarin gas”
He made such statements. The plaintiff, NHK Party,
The NHK Party argued that these statements implied the party was a dangerous religious group that kills a large number of people who betrayed the party and their families, which damaged their social reputation.
They argued this and filed a lawsuit seeking 1.6 million yen in damages.
In response, Ishiwatari’s side presented 18 facts as the basis for the antisocial cult group claim. Since the NHK Party did not contest most of these facts, it was considered a judicial confession (under Civil Procedure Law Article 179), leading to the dismissal of the lawsuit. The presiding judge stated that the expressions such as antisocial cult group should be understood as referring to a group or organization that engages in illegal and blind actions.
It is understood that the statement describes the plaintiff as a group or organization that engages in illegal and blindly repeated actions without hesitation.
Among other things,
It was concluded that the statements could not be recognized as pointing to specific facts about the plaintiff, but rather as expressing opinions or commentary.
The judge stated.
Takashi Tachibana of the NHK Party immediately declared his intention to appeal, but since a judicial confession has been established, the possibility of the ruling being overturned in the high court is almost zero. After the verdict, Ishiwatari held a press conference and said,
“The court has indicated that there is no problem with calling the NHK Party an antisocial cult group.”
He said proudly.
Mr. Tachibana of the NHK party immediately declared an appeal, but since a “judicial confession” had been established, there was virtually no chance of the ruling being overturned by the high court. Mr. Chidai said at a press conference after the ruling.
The court ruled that there is no problem in calling the NHK Party an “antisocial cult group,”” Chidai said proudly.
Chidai was proud of his decision.
On the same day of the ruling, Tachibana updated his YouTube channel and announced his intention to run for mayor of Izumiotsu, Osaka, in the election to be held on December 8 and December 15. He had previously indicated his intention to run for the mayoral election in Minami-Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, in January next year, but he has now moved up his candidacy by one month to run for another mayoral election. In response to this, a source in Nagata-cho said
“He probably thought that by announcing his intention to run for mayor of Izumiotsu on the day of the verdict with Mr. Chidai, he would create a controversy and drown out the news of the trial,” noted a source in Nagata-cho.
Tachibana, however, is not the only one who has been involved in the trial. Tachibana, however, is not so sure.
I have decided to run for the Izumiotsu City election. I was born in Izumiotsu City after my father and mother moved to Osaka.
He is appealing to the public at …….
On the same day as the ruling, Takashi Tachibana updated his YouTube channel and revealed his intention to run in the Osaka Izumi-Otsu mayoral election, which was announced on December 8 and held on December 15. He had previously indicated his intention to run in the Hyogo Minami-Awaji mayoral election in January next year, but he showed his eagerness to run in a different mayoral election a month earlier. This has caught the attention of those in Nagatacho.
“They probably decided to announce his candidacy for the Izumi-Otsu mayoral election on the same day as the ruling with Ishiwatari, in order to divert attention and overshadow the news of the court case.”
It is pointed out. However, Tachibana himself.
He said, “I have decided to run in the Izumi-Otsu city election. My father and mother moved to Osaka, and I was born there.”
He is emphasizing this.
After scattering topics everywhere.
The aforementioned Nagatacho insider said,
“The incumbent mayor, Kenichi Minade, has already announced his candidacy for the mayoral election, so it will be a one-sided game. I’m really skeptical about whether Tachibana will actually run.”
He said.
Tachibana also explained the reason for his candidacy in the video.
“The media is making very strange moves. There is a move to completely ignore Tachibana.”
“I am running for office to understand the media’s actions. My enemies are not the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, but the old media like television and major newspapers.”
While it is good that he is tapping into the recent trend of vs. vested interests, what does it mean for the media to ignore him?
“Tachibana believes that he helped re-elect Motohiko Saito in the Hyogo gubernatorial election, and he likely wants to say that the major media consider him a target. If they are ignoring him, he sees it as harassment. However, from the media’s perspective, it’s simply that Tachibana is difficult to deal with. Any debate with him just leads to a stalemate, and there’s the risk of being filmed and exposed without his consent. Moreover, he’s being treated as part of an antisocial cult group. No matter the election, airing the claims of such a group on public airwaves raises questions about its appropriateness.” (Television industry insider)
For better or worse, Tachibana has increased his relevance by providing topics of discussion. If the media continues to withdraw, it is expected that he will become even more radicalized.
“If the major media continue to ignore him, he may form a unique community with his supporters through social media and videos.” (Television industry insider)
In the Hyogo gubernatorial election, he is expected to be criminally charged for defamation and threats related to a public campaign at the home and office of the chairman of the investigative committee. Tachibana continues to make new moves one after another, such as criminal complaints and candidacies. However, it seems that his encirclement is gradually tightening.
PHOTO: Yoshio Tsunoda / Afro
PHOTO.： Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro
