東京、島根、長崎の衆議院補欠選挙(4/28)で立憲民主党がいずれも勝利。どこも低い投票率でした。

Three by-elections to fill vacant seats in the House of Representatives were held in Japan on Sunday. Candidates from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party have won all three seats.

All three lower house by-elections had the lowest voter turnout ever.

自民議員の逮捕で補選となった東京15区では、自民党が候補者の擁立を見送っていました。

The election in Tokyo's No.15 district was held after a former state minister of justice resigned over vote-buying allegations. The LDP did not field a candidate for the seat.

※field a candidate=候補者を立てる[擁立する]

過去最高の9人の候補者による乱戦でした。

Nine candidates — including a well-known writer, a former wrestler and a scholar on Islamic thought — competed for one seat in what’s set to be the most chaotic of the three by-election races.

候補者の一人、根本良輔(つばさの党)は、他候補者の街頭演説で妨害行為を繰り広げました。

The group appeared at other candidates’ stump speeches and interrupted them by shouting such words as “scum” and “traitors” over a loudspeaker. ➾megasphoneも

On one occasion, it stormed in front of another candidate’s office and blasted the sound at full volume.  

※街頭演説:soapbox speech/roadside speech/street-corner speechなども。stumpは木の切り株

※scum クズ ※traitor 裏切り者、売国奴

5月12日には、警視庁が公職選挙法違反(選挙の自由妨害)容疑で家宅捜査。その後逮捕となりました。

The Metropolitan Police Department raided the head office of Tsubasa no To (Tsubasa Party) among other related locations on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Law by obstructing freedom of election at the House of Representatives by-election in Tokyo.

※警視庁The Metropolitan Police Department=MPD ※NPAは警察庁National Police Agency

※raid急襲、(警察の)手入れ、踏み込み、一斉検挙 ➾search

言論の自由にあたると言い張っていますが、権利の濫用を看過することはできません。

The organization says it was not sabotaging the campaigning. Freedom of speech and free elections are important rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution. However, it is unacceptable to abuse these rights and repeat potentially defamatory or intimidating behavior.