Japan’s democratic process is quite different to the one that drags on in the US. Today is a parliamentary election, called by Prime Minister Ishiba when he dissolved the House of Representatives just eight days after he took office. The run up to the election has been 26 days.
Campaigning is a lot more civil here. And only lasts a few weeks, so it’s quite bearable. Here is what the lead-up to an election looks like from the perspective of an outsider.
It’s all over the news, of course. This current election is expected to shift the balance of power and it is possible that the ruling party won’t win a majority. That means the Prime Minister Ishiba might be out of a job. Oops.
More locally, decorated vans roll slowly through neighborhoods while candidates and their supporters wave out of the windows and announce “Vote for me; I’ll fix things” or whatever their message is. At major intersections during rush hours, they set up posters and wave at the cars driving by, using a portable loudspeaker to share their platforms.
Temporary signboards are set up around ever district with spaces for each candidate to stick their posters. I get great enjoyment from reading them and critiquing their photos. For example, here are four candidates in our district:
Upper left: Shigeru Kuzuhara, Communist Party. “Let’s change politics from the ground up and make life and peace our priority!” I think Kuzuhara looks like he might take off his glasses and give you a reluctant scolding then send you to detention.
Upper right: Yasukasu Hamada, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This candidate was Defense Minister twice so his slogan is “Protect Japan”. I think Hamada has been mewing during parliamentary meetings or he recently learned how to Photoshop.
Lower left: Takeshi Hidaka, Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP). He’s keen to have you know he knows people, like the former cabinet minister he’s shaking hands with. Third term in office! Ready to work. I think Hidaka took photo styling advice in the 1990s and has stuck with that “fist of determination” pose ever since.
Lower right: Naoki Jibiki, Japan Innovation Party. “A National Budget to protect our loved ones.” Jibiki wants to makes clear that he is a 45 year old CPA. That’s an important point because I think Jibiki looks like a stage magician who is about to flourish his sequined cape to reveal a bouquet of silk flowers,
I do not have voting rights in Japan, so I was surprised to learn how it works for the House of Representatives elections. Everyone gets two votes – one for their specific candidate and another one for a party for the “proportional representation” seats. I’ve been here 25 years and I thought I understood the basics, but clearly I am missing some key components of Japanese civics. It’s complicated. If you want to know more, this Wikipedia article covers it in depth: Elections in Japan
Good luck to all the candidates. It will be interesting to see who wins the vote this time. And my voting friends, please do vote today. Jibiki might pull a coin from your ear!
