Japanese authorities have issued a reminder that it is illegal to post filled-out ballot papers on social media platforms. The move was made in response to increasing instances of this happening on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The relevant law has been in place since, with the government seeking to preserve the privacy of the voting process and prevent instances of undue influence. The announcement was made ahead of a set of unspecified elections slated for the 8th day of the month.

In Japan, voting is seen as a private action and posting filled-out ballots can be considered a violation of this privacy. Japan has codified laws in place to assure this privacy respects. Not following these laws can lead to punishments including fines and jail time. It's part of a greater respect for privacy which extends across most facets of life in the country.

In the US, laws on the subject of 'ballot selfies' or posting images of the filled-out voting paper vary considerably. In many places, they have been struck down as unconstitutional infringements on free speech. However, around a dozen states maintain some prohibitions. It's a hotly contested area of election law in a country that places great value on both the sanctity of the voting process and freedom of speech.