Thank you very much for your continued warm support regarding this matter.

The seventh hearing took place on Monday, July 8th, at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 103, the largest courtroom in the Tokyo District Court.

Nearly 50 people attended the hearing, and the first trial concluded under the watchful eyes of many.

In court that day, the three plaintiffs and their representatives made statements (the statements can be found here: Ms. A , Ms. Kakutani , Ms. Takeshima , and their representative, lawyer Tada ).

The legal team also submitted the 7th and 8th preparatory briefs . Based on the opinion of Professor Keigo Komamura , a constitutional scholar, they reiterated to the court that the current law regulating election campaigns by minors is unconstitutional.

After the court session, a debriefing session was held. The plaintiffs shared their thoughts from the time the lawsuit was filed until now, and together with their supporters, they looked back on the progress of the first trial, making it a truly memorable time.

▲Group photo with participants at the debriefing session

We received so much support during this time. Thank you very much.
The verdict is expected to be handed down as follows:

• Judgment date: September 25, 2026, 15:00
Location: Courtroom 103, Tokyo District Court

The verdict is finally next. Please continue to follow along until the very end.

The sixth oral argument hearing was held on Monday, May 18th, at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court.

The plaintiffs submitted the sixth preparatory document and the opinion of a constitutional scholar. We submitted a document arguing that the defendant's proposed framework for judgment was flawed.

The defendant submitted brief (4), in which they refuted the plaintiff's claims regarding the legislative purpose.

The next hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, July 8th at 11:00 AM, will see both plaintiffs submitting their written counterarguments, and the oral arguments are expected to conclude.

In addition, we plan to hear statements from the four plaintiffs themselves and their representatives.

We would appreciate your continued support.

The fifth oral argument hearing was held on Tuesday, March 24th, at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court.

The plaintiff submitted the fourth and fifth preparatory briefs. We submitted a report primarily arguing that there was no legislative basis for the provisions in question and that the defendant's proposed framework for judgment was flawed.

The next hearing, scheduled for Monday, May 18th, will see the defendant's counter-arguments. The plaintiff will also submit expert opinions on the framework for judgment.

We would appreciate your continued support.

The fourth oral argument hearing was held on Monday, February 9th from 3:00 p.m. in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court.

The defendant submitted Preparatory Briefs 2 and 3 , mainly arguing that there are legislative facts for the provisions in question, and that constitutionality should be determined within a loose framework, as freedom of election campaigning is dependent on the system.

The plaintiffs plan to refute the defendants' written arguments at the next hearing on Monday, March 24th. They are also considering submitting expert opinions in the future.

We appreciate your continued support.

The third oral argument hearing was held on Thursday, October 30th from 3:00 PM in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court. Once again, the courtroom, which can accommodate 100 people, was a great success, with many spectators attending. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who continues to support us.

The plaintiffs submitted three documents refuting the defendants' arguments and arguing that there is no legislative basis to justify banning voluntary election campaigning by minors or the use of minors in election campaigning. At this hearing, plaintiffs' attorney, Mr. Ota, orally stated the contents of the documents ( full text of the statement and projected slides ). For details of the plaintiffs' arguments, please see here ( Preparatory Brief 1 , Preparatory Brief 2 , Preparatory Brief 3 ).

After the hearing, a report session was held at a venue near the court, which was also well attended. It provided an opportunity for the plaintiffs and their attorneys to exchange opinions with the audience, resulting in a fruitful dialogue.

The second oral argument hearing was held on Friday, August 29th from 3:00 PM in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court. The courtroom, which can accommodate 100 people, was a great success, with many spectators attending. Thank you very much to everyone who continues to support us.

At this hearing, the defendants submitted a "Preparatory Brief (1)" as a written rebuttal to the complaint, in which they argued, with reference to the discussions during the legislative process, that the framework for determining the constitutionality of the provisions in question, which prohibit election campaigning by minors and impose penalties, is sufficient with a lenient standard that takes into account the nature of the electoral system, that the legislative purpose of the provisions in question is to ensure the fairness of elections and protect minors, and that the penal provisions do not anticipate the punishment of minors but are intended as a general preventative measure.

After the hearing, a hearing report session was held at a venue near the court. After Attorney Toda reported on the contents of the hearing, there was an opportunity for the plaintiffs, their attorneys, and the audience to exchange opinions, which resulted in a fruitful dialogue.

At the next hearing, the plaintiff will make a rebuttal to the defendant's answer and preparatory brief (1).
Next hearing: October 30th (Thursday) 3:00 PM, Tokyo District Court, Courtroom 103

Please invite your friends and come to observe the hearing.

The first oral argument hearing was held today, May 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom 103 of the Tokyo District Court.

At the hearing, the plaintiff presented its complaint and relevant evidence.

The defendants have filed an answer outlining their defense.

The defendants are expected to submit a more detailed written response at the next hearing.

The deadline for the defendant to submit written submissions is August 12, and the next hearing is set for August 29 at 3:00 p.m.

At the hearing, Tada's attorney presented the complaint orally, and the plaintiffs also made statements of their opinions.

The transcripts of both readings have been uploaded to the litigation documents page, so please take a look.

Next time, attention will be focused on the government's written rebuttal to see how it will argue the intent and purpose of the legislation.

Thank you all for your continued warm support.
We are late in reporting this, but on February 28th, we filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court, arguing that "people under the age of 18 should have the freedom to vote in elections."

The first session has now been set for Thursday, May 29th at 2pm!

"Freedom to vote in elections for those under 18" lawsuit First oral argument date ☑︎ Date and time 5/29 (Thu) 14:00-14:30 ☑︎ Location Tokyo District Court, Courtroom 103

On the day, the plaintiffs and their attorneys are scheduled to make statements (court speeches). This is an important first step towards realizing freedom of political expression for minors. If you have time, we would appreciate it if you could come and observe the proceedings!

You can also see the report below for details of what happened on the day of the lawsuit.
▶︎Click here for the lawsuit report

Thank you for your continued support.