Five Japanese living abroad claimed at the Tokyo District Court on Monday that their inability to participate in national reviews of Supreme Court justices was unconstitutional.
"I've always felt that voting is my right and duty," Kazuhiro Soda, a documentary filmmaker based in New York, told the hearing.
"Even though I have a Japanese passport, I couldn't participate in the review just because I lived in the United States. I found it frustrating and also very strange," he added.