‘Jack Bauer’ versus ‘Macron’: the colourful candidates clashing in Japan’s election
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From an opposition leader nicknamed “Jack Bauer” to a gaffe-prone finance minister who used Adolf Hitler as an example when talking about leaving a political legacy, there are some colourful characters competing in Japan’s election.
Yukio Edano
A Twitter campaign at the time was set up to persuade him to get some rest, with people tweeting “Please Edano, go to bed” and some foreign media nicknaming him “Jack Bauer” – the lead character from the hit television drama series 24 – for working around the clock.
Edano announced the launch of the new centre-left party just days before the election campaign officially started, unleashing an attack on Shinzo Abe and vowing to stop what he described as the prime minister’s “abuse of power”.
Taro Aso
Last month he stirred controversy by saying Japan should seriously consider shooting down potential “armed refugees” if hundreds of thousands fled North Korea to Japan.
It was unclear what he meant by “armed refugees”.
Aso served as prime minister from 2008 to 2009 before his Liberal Democratic Party was ousted from office.
He is the grandson of Shigeru Yoshida, one of Japan’s most influential prime ministers who helped rebuild the country from the ashes of the second world war.
Shinjiro Koizumi
The telegenic and flamboyant Shinjiro Koizumi has drawn huge crowds to campaign rallies and has been suggested as a possible future leader.
Like his father, Koizumi Jnr has a reputation for “one-phrase politics”, using a snappy slogan that resonates with grass roots voters.
A sweet bearing his likeness is the second-biggest selling souvenir in the parliament gift shop – behind confectionery showing Abe’s face – said the shop’s manager Shinzo Terada.
They are “particularly popular among women”, he revealed.
Mayuko Toyota
The 43-year-old Harvard graduate was once seen as an up-and-coming member of the ruling LDP but resigned in June after an audio tape emerged of her violently attacking a male secretary, reportedly threatening to crush his head with a lead pipe.
She has decided to run as an independent in this election, sparking considerable media attention.
Every day, the very contrite Toyota goes to a railway station and bows deeply in apology to voters.
She has changed her image from a pink pantsuit – which earned her the nickname “pink monster” – to simple white and told supporters at a campaign rally that her heart was “on the verge of collapse” over the scandal.
Yuriko Koike
Even though she is not running for national office this time, the media-savvy veteran is definitely the story of the campaign, transforming the sleepy political landscape with her Party of Hope.
Posters of the popular Tokyo governor are everywhere and candidates for the party are pictured standing with the telegenic 65-year-old.
Her campaign video set the tone, with an elegant lady (presumably Koike) shoving her way past old men in suits and leading her supporters into the light.
