The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association on Thursday pledged to provide accurate information for elections in a bid to prevent false news reported on social media and other platforms from influencing election results unfairly.

"We will aggressively report news providing the public with accurate information," the association, or Nihon Shinbun Kyokai, said in a statement on the internet and election coverage, which was prepared by member companies.

The statement says that social media platforms should take proactive measures against fake and false information on the internet, but it is difficult to say that they have done enough.

"We are deeply concerned" that elections, which are the foundation of democracy, are being affected by unverified information, a situation that could lead to the destruction of democracy, it says.

Meanwhile, the statement notes that there has been criticism that newspaper publishers and broadcasting firms have paid too much attention to the fairness of elections.

Article 148 of the public offices election law stipulates that the fairness of elections should not be hindered by the abuse of freedom of expression.

The association, however, clarified in a unified view compiled in 1966 that it is obvious that the article does not mean general news coverage and criticism should be regulated. It says that the position should be maintained even today.

The statement underlines the need to conduct news coverage proactively, with that view in mind, as part of efforts to provide reliable information that helps voters make judgments by drastically revising how elections are reported and employing methods such as fact-checking.