Ballots written in pencil altered? Baseless fraud myth persists in Japan elections

TL;DR Unfounded rumors persist in Japan about election fraud, including claims that ballots are rewritten and results manipulated. Despite multilayered measures to prevent fraud, such as public scrutiny and multiple locks on ballot boxes, these myths continue to circulate online and in public spaces. While there have been instances of fraud by election staff to cover up counting errors, there have been no known cases of intentional vote tampering to ensure a candidate’s victory.