First vote

I hope she didn't vote for Shintaro "Japan needs nuclear weapons / the Tohoko quake & tsunami was divine punishment for selfish Japanese" Ishihara.

She was probably told who to vote for by her manager. I don't think I have ever met a 20-year-old Japanese woman who was interested in politics and who knew the candidates and their policies. Yeah, I know, what policies? We haven't heard the campaign vans blaring their names out yet.

I don't think I have ever met a 20-year-old Japanese woman who was interested in politics and who knew the candidates and their policies.

Not all J-women are airheads. I am not sure about this one in particular though.

Sae has a really nice smile, and I like her hairstyle - it shows off her ears, or at least her left ear! She will get many people to vote. I just hope they don't vote for Ishihara.

Shall we all make a pact to remind every Japanese voter we know about Ishihara's views on the earthquake? It might - just might - give some of them pause before they automatically re-elect this deplorable, ranting halfwit.

Ivan - I second that.

If I had a vote in the Tokyo gubernatorial race, I would vote for Mr. Miki Watanabe as he has actual successful business experience and frankly a whole lot more common sense than the idiot Ishihara. What Japan really needs are more people with real CEO experience, and less former actors and other "talento".

If history is anything to go by, Ishihara will win again by a landslide -- you'd think people would have smartened up by now!

I think Sae has a nice smile too, she looks very refined with bracelets.

The singer said she was nervous because this was the first time for her to vote in an election

Now I understand why a lot of young Japanese don't bother to vote.

Sae is wearing a great shirt, too! Stars and stripes! Except the stars should be white on a blue background, and the stripes should be red and white!

damn, I've been doing it wrong all these years. thanks to the caption for setting me straight. I'll pinch a poster next time! woot woot

She read the manga manual on voting and thinks she is doing it correctly.

I wish I could do my bit by voting, but 12 years here and a PR visa only lets my tax dollars go to waste...

she can make a right vote like other Tokyoites do. She looks confident, charming and optimistic.

It never hurts for young people to learn good citizenship habits like voting. Unfortunately, young people often vote based on the least amount of information and for selfish reasons

Very, very tired of Shintaro "No we Can't" Ishihara

Gov. Ishihara is going to get re-elected - he is keeping Tokyo stable and provides business a good situation to conduct business.

apecNetworks - care to explain that? Keeping Tokyo stable by losing 80% of the tax revenue he appropriated for his vanity bank despite his being told by the Ministry of Finance he was neither competent nor legally permitted to use tax revenue in that way. Some prosperity!

AKB48 posters urging people to vote have been put up stations all around Tokyo

Only in Japan would political elections be promoted by a pop-group of +/- 20-year-olds. Wonder why Japanese are apathetic about elections?