An "unofficial" Twitter account operated by a Tokyo bookstore employee that promoted a "pro-democracy book fair" has sparked an online controversy, resulting in cancellation of the event by the chain's head office.
Criticism erupted when the Twitter account, purported to be run by an employee at the MaruzenJunkudo bookstore chain's Shibuya branch, advertised a book promotion fair featuring liberal ideologies with tweets expressing support for the anti-Abe administration movement.
The selection of featured books covered such topics as revolution, democracy and street demonstrations. The list included books about the pro-democracy youth group Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy (SEALDs), which protested the Abe administration's ramming of security bills through the Diet last month.