Japan’s parliament has approved new legislation aimed at tightening rules on social media during election campaigns, with the government seeking to curb the spread of false information and improve transparency around AI-generated content.
The law, passed on Monday, prohibits the dissemination of fake or misleading information about election candidates and requires social media platform operators to take steps to reduce the impact of such content during election periods.
The cross-party legislation was introduced to safeguard the integrity of elections while balancing the protection of free speech and ensuring voters have access to accurate information.
Under the new rules, internet users who post election-related images or videos created or altered using artificial intelligence (AI) will be required to clearly disclose that the content has been generated or modified by AI.
The revised legislation also makes it clear that users must not spread false claims or manipulate facts in ways that could undermine the fairness of an election campaign.
The bill was jointly submitted by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, and four opposition parties before receiving approval in the House of Councillors.
The changes amend both Japan’s Public Offices Election Law and the country’s legislation governing online information distribution platforms.
While social media companies will be expected to limit the reach of false election-related content, the law does not impose penalties on platform operators that fail to comply, prompting questions over how effective the new measures will be.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is expected to introduce detailed implementation guidelines, with the revised rules scheduled to take effect by 1 March 2027, ahead of Japan’s nationwide local elections later that spring.
The ministry will also require annual reports on how platforms implement the measures. A supplementary parliamentary resolution recommends additional actions such as suspending monetisation of misleading election content, prioritising information from trusted sources including official government websites, and displaying warning notices to users.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the influence of social media on Japanese politics, with analysts suggesting online campaigning played a significant role in the LDP’s landslide victory under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during the February general election.
