mission.japan

With Okayama’s local elections taking place on Sunday, many of the 16 candidates (for multiple offices) have turned it up a notch over the last week. The primary means of campaigning seems to be posters. But recently that’s been eclipsed by audio advertisements blasted from loudspeakers atop campaign vehicles. These cars crisscross around Okayama from early morning to evening, filling the air with sound waves of “I’m so-and-so, thanks for your support.” With one day left before voting, it’s unusual to not have at least one of these cars within earshot.

I was surprised to learn that political candidates are very restricted in Japan with respect to publicity and advertising. Candidates are not allowed to have campaign websites, nor are they able to broadcast speeches on television channels other than NHK, Japan’s public broadcast network. (Incidentally there’s a bit of a ruckus going on right now over a candidate’s speech that was posted to YouTube.) So candidates are left with few effective options outside of plastering the neighborhood with posters and filling in the eardrums of voters with pleas for support from their mobile tree stumps.