Tokyo elects a new governor this weekend, but residents say personal publicity stunts have overtaken serious campaigning to a degree never seen before, with nearly nude women in suggestive poses, pets, an AI character, and a man practicing his golf swing. It's impossible to ignore. With internet campaigning still relatively new, candidates traditionally use designated election billboards—more than 14,000 of them—to promote themselves. The makeshift billboards are set up only during the short campaign season and are valuable space for exposure in a city already crammed with advertising. But this year's wackiness—notably from noncandidates renting the billboard space—is proving exceptional, and residents have flooded election offices with angry calls and messages, per the AP.
"They are distasteful. As a Japanese citizen I feel embarrassed, as I see many foreign visitors pass by those billboards and they must wonder what's going on," says office worker Mayumi Noda. "As a voter, I think it's outrageous and disrespectful to the other candidates who are seriously competing." Hours after official campaigning began on June 20, residents faced a stunning array of posters. For some, it's not even clear whether the person or people behind them are candidates or simply influencers seeking more exposure. One billboard featured racy posters for an adult entertainment shop. Another had an almost naked female model in a suggestive pose with a message that said "Stop restricting free speech." Others showed photos of a pet dog or a female kickboxer. One candidate called "AI Mayor" used an image of a metallic humanoid.
Under a 1950 public-office election law, candidates in Japan are free to say anything, as long as they don't support another candidate or promote obviously false or libelous content. This year's escalation is partly linked to an emerging conservative political party that has fielded 24 candidates for governor. A record 56 candidates, including incumbent Gov. Yuriko Koike, who seeks her third four-year term, are running in Sunday's election. Tokyo, a city of 13.5 million, has outsize political and cultural power in Japan. Its budget equals that of some nations, and its policies impact the national government. More here.
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