CHIBA (TR) – Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a 71-year-old self-proclaimed taxi driver for allegedly distributing defamatory flyers targeting Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Arfiya Eri, reports TBS News (Sep. 16).
Masuo Uezono, a resident of Ichikawa City, was arrested on suspicion of criminal insult. He is accused of slipping the slanderous leaflets into mailboxes at apartment buildings across Ichikawa and Urayasu cities over a one-year period beginning in June 2023.
According to police, the flyers contained malicious statements aimed at the House of Representatives member, including the claim: “Something resembling a real name appears on her blog, but it is basically a fake name.”
The investigation was launched after a lawyer representing the lawmaker approached authorities to report the smear campaign. Police confirmed that Uezono and the lawmaker had no prior acquaintance.
Upon his arrest, Uezono fully admitted to the allegations.
“I distributed them with the goal of bringing Arfiya Eri down as a member of parliament,” the suspect told investigators.
