Official campaigning for nationwide local elections begins in Japan

White gloves waving from the windows of K-vans, blaring speaker on the roof, bowing to traffic at road junctions, silken sashes and free tissues. I kind of enjoy elections in Japan.

With Kishida's South Korean agreement and visit to Ukraine and Japan's WBC triumph the results are even a more foregone conclusion if that is even possible.

All of the LDP's transgressions and ties to the Unification Church and ministerial scandals have been swept under the rug.

The feel good factor is high in Japan right now and the LDP will manipulate it to the max.

I wonder what they think when they are in their vans looking out of the window at the people on the sidewalks who are giving them stink eye and placing their hands over their ears as to not hear the blaring noise they spew out of their campaign automobiles.

Can't they see our faces of disgust directed at them?

Can't they see our faces of disgust directed at them?

No, Michael. That's how they can do what they do. They shut themselves off from people's feelings.

No, Michael. That's how they can do what they do. They shut themselves off from people's feelings.

More like the people dont give a crap. If they did, those "faces" would affect the votes, but in the end they dont matter.

For as long as you have been here, you should know this.

The barrage of noise is truly hurtful to the ears and is the one thing that keeps me from visiting during Japanese elections. Stay off the streets if you don't want to go deaf.

White gloves waving from the windows of K-vans, blaring speaker on the roof, bowing to traffic at road junctions, silken sashes and free tissues. I kind of enjoy elections in Japan.

Indeed. I stop and wave back. The poor politician doesn't know what to do. I don't have much faith in their ability to run a baseball sweepstake never mind a government office

The barrage of noise is truly hurtful to the ears and is the one thing that keeps me from visiting during Japanese elections.

See you in 2024 then. This year Japan will be in permanent campaigning mode until the end of October. I already accepted the friendly neighborhood election poster boards as permanent installations.

I live across from a park and they park right out my window, the whole house is shaking it’s so horrible and I can’t do anything except go out most the day. Should we all put up with this ? Yep, of course never complain except on here.thank’s for letting me vent.

Of course I am not allowed to take part and elect someone, but if, I surely would choose out of the ones who are silent and don’t come by with their loudspeaker cars. Good things or in this case a good party or party manifesto, doesn’t need promotion and loud propaganda, it would just speak for itself.

LDP will get 101% of votes.

pathetic show,meaningless speeches and white gloves.all fake "demokrashi".

as foreigners we have no right to vote,no right to candidate but yes-have right to pay full taxes as LDP expecting from us without any slight chance to say something.

ah, the one time of the year politicians here give a rip about regular people....

The time of year when politicians put their guano-eating grins on their faces, act like they are kissing-arses, shake hands like they have a vibrator running at high speed, make all sorts of promises, and then crawl back on to their high horses.

Wash-rinse-repeat

Why is the national govt parliamentary (prime minister and emperor), but not the prefectures or communities (premier and Governor, council leader and sheriff)? It's not just japan, but many other countries have local (community) govt as presidential (mayor and council).

Eastman

Today 06:59 pm JST

LDP will get 101% of votes.

pathetic show,meaningless speeches and white gloves.all fake "demokrashi".

as foreigners we have no right to vote,no right to candidate but yes-have right to pay full taxes as LDP expecting from us without any slight chance to say something.

Same in the us. Expected to pay taxes, but taxation without representation for foreigners. Wasn't their a revolutionary war fought over that?

Whenever they pass, I just put my finger to my lips in the universal “shh” sign.

Unification Church and Sokka Gakkai will elect their candidates.

Unification Church and Sokka Gakkai will elect their candidates.

The former is a pariah now, and the latter has not had any candidates for at least a generation now.

Time to get caught up on the news!

So glad to live in front of a High School, can live with the teens screamin everyday but not to those pesky politicians campaign vans. They're not allowed to go blah blah blah 200 meters near a school premises.

The former is a pariah now, and the latter has not had any candidates for at least a generation now.

Well, I read Yahoo News! The UC merely changes its name and reorganizes everything. They're already returning back to operations under a different guise. Sokka Gakkai remains stronger than ever.

Kishida is toothless!

Well, I read Yahoo News! The UC merely changes its name and reorganizes everything. They're already returning back to operations under a different guise. Sokka Gakkai remains stronger than ever.

Sokkai Gakkai has not had a candidate for well over a generation. Dont know what news you are reading, but it's a well known fact. People just choose to stay ignorant and use it as an excuse to try to make a point about politics here.

The Unification Church has ZERO candidates as well, as they are not a political party either. LDP members who were are are members have disassociated themselves from the church, as being a part of it or even associated with it makes them guilty by association alone.

The Soka Gakkai and the Komeito Party have been separate organisations since 1970, 53 years ago. Many of the Soka Gakkai members vote for the Komeito Party, but not all as many nonmembers also support them. In the 2021 general election, they received 7 million votes or 12.38%. Only the fourth largest party.

The Soka Gakkai and the Komeito Party have been separate organisations since 1970, 53 years ago. Many of the Soka Gakkai members vote for the Komeito Party, but not all as many nonmembers also support them. In the 2021 general election, they received 7 million votes or 12.38%. Only the fourth largest party.

Yet even today , over 50 years after, there are still people who keep on beating a dead horse and think that the two are one in the same.