Over 20% of major cities in Japan prohibited voters from taking photographs at polling stations during the House of Councilors election in July, a Jiji Press survey has found.

Of the 52 major cities polled, 12 (23%) banned photography at polling stations, while 31 (60%) asked voters to refrain from taking photos and nine (17%) allowed photography.

Regarding photography specifically at tables for writing ballots, only eight cities (15%) banned it, while 28 (54%) called for voters to refrain from doing so and 16 (31%) allowed such photos to be taken.

The survey covered election boards in the 52 cities, with responses received by late October.

The cities of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture, Yokohama, Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Toyama and Shizuoka, which did not prohibit photography at polling stations in the Upper House election, said they are considering changing their rules, including possibly tightening restrictions.

Japan¡¯s public offices election law allows for the restraint and removal of people who disrupt order at polling stations. But there is no provision directly banning photography.

In the Jiji Press poll, 14 cities said they hope the central government will ban photography under the law or present a uniform policy on the matter.

During the Upper House election, executives at a pachinko pinball-parlor operator have been charged with promising to pay a cash reward to employees in return for voting for a certain candidate, allegedly having them send photos of their ballots.

In separate cases, some users of X posted pictures of their ballots with captions saying they voted for a certain candidate. Such posts could be deemed election campaigning and may violate the public offices election law if made on voting day.

Election board officials expressed concerns about photography in polling stations, including fears that sending photos or posting them on social media undermines the principle of secret voting guaranteed by the Constitution.

They also voiced concern about issues caused by the noise of camera shutters and people being photographed without their consent, as well as the lack of legal basis for restricting photography.