A founding principle of democratic society is that criticism is delivered through words. Resorting to violence is unforgivable even if a person is outraged by another's words or actions.

Takashi Tachibana, leader of the NHK Party (formerly "The Party to Protect the People from NHK"), was injured in a machete attack on a street in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki district. At the time, Tachibana was running in the Chiba gubernatorial election, and posing for photographs with supporters before giving a speech.

The suspect, arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, has reportedly told police, "I did it because he's the kind of person who would drive an assembly member to suicide." This statement appears to refer to Tachibana's actions surrounding last year's Hyogo gubernatorial election.

A former prefectural assembly member who served on a special investigative panel looking into allegations of power harassment against Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito passed away in a suspected suicide. The former assemblyman had been targeted by defamatory comments on social media, being labeled the mastermind behind the harassment accusations, and he had divulged to those around him that his family couldn't leave the house. Tachibana was a primary instigator of the comments.

Tachibana broadcast a speech in front of the home of the special investigative committee's chairperson and stated he would visit the former assembly member's office. Even after the assembly member's death, Tachibana claimed the legislator had taken his own life out of fear of arrest. He then admitted he was in error when the Hyogo Prefectural Police chief denied the claim.

Tachibana has also come under fire over his conduct in election campaigns. In the Hyogo gubernatorial election, rather than aiming for his own victory, he ran specifically to support Gov. Saito. Moreover, during Tokyo's gubernatorial election last year, he effectively sold the rights to display campaign posters.

Tachibana's threatening rhetoric and unfounded claims deserve to be criticized. However, that doesn't justify causing him bodily harm.

If Tachibana's utterances are found to be unlawful, such as being defamatory, he must be held responsible through criminal or civil proceedings. This is a fundamental rule of a nation governed by law.

A series of attacks on politicians during election activities have occurred in recent years. In 2022, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died after being shot while delivering a stump speech in the city of Nara. The following year, an explosive device was thrown toward then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in western Japan's Wakayama, where he was supporting an election candidate.

There are concerns over a potential current of violence to suppress opposing views in Japan. Attacking or demeaning others online has become routine on social media. Measures must be stepped up to avoid creating a cycle of violence.