Election Campaigns in Japan

[TheNoNamedOne]

What do you think about the style of election campaigns in Japan? I really hate those loudspeaker vans driving around just begging for votes. Basically, all they do is repeat the candidates name and say please vote for me.

Usually they sound like this (Using the family name Higa as an example):

Higa desu. Higa desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasue. Higa desu. Higa desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

I am Mr. Higa. I am Mr. Higa. Please vote for me [act kindly toward me]. I am Mr. Higa. I am Mr. Higa. Please vote for me [act kindly toward me].

Once in a while a candidate will park his van on a corner intersection, climb on top of it with a microphone or megaphone and give a spew on what they believe. But that is not too often.

[dk]

I think they should go a little beyond just waking up the neighborhood with "My name is Higa". The second approach is best. But these tactics have been used for as long as I can remember on Okinawa, and people are in general resistant to change. The Okinawans seem pretty set in their ways, as much as I hate those loudspeaker vans. :(

Do you have to get some kind of permit to drive around yelling "My name is Higa"? Because I've been so tempted to rent/setup one of my own just for sh*ts and grins.

MY NAME IS DAVID. USE THE FORUMS. USE THE FORUMS. MY NAME IS DAVID. USE THE FORUMS. USE THE FORUMS.

At 9am on a Saturday.

[bokuwa]

Pretty much the same, mainland campaigning. I think prettier woman and nicer cars are used there than here.

Here, there has been a couple of times when they have stopped and started to talk about getting rid of the bases, Americans, I stand there and say, "Yes, that's right" both times I had to stop from laughing real hard, because of the reaction from the people around. Try it next time you have a chance and you will have to laugh I think.

I think it was last week, we were in downtown Naha and the teachers had a march against the changes to the history books regarding what happened on Okinawa during the war. I was on the side walk and cheering them as they looked at me with laughs and smiles, a few waved for me to come march with them.

I guess I shoud have posted this in things I do for fun.

[JsPop1]

I cut the signs off the telephone poles in front of my house, (while the guy who hung it there is watching). I also tell the vans that stop on the corner in front of my house screaming Higa desu that they are loud and need to leave.
They do!
Once, in front of Seattles best or whatever it was at goya four corners, I got out and laughed at the guy talking about peace. At first he thought I was just some idiot and thought I was funny but when he kept talking about peace and removing the bases, I asked him if he spoke Korean and if he didn't, he should start studying because as soon as these bases go, those missiles will be pointed at Okinawa and they will come take our tropical paradise away.
He didn't think that was funny and said I would be arrested for Senkyou Bogai!
BTW, the JP's never came. I know they are slow, but it's only about forty meters.(He was on the old theatre side!)

[DoctorP]

I noticed that a lot of the campaigns gained momentum this past week. I also noticed that it seems they are not allowed to use the loudspeakers on the weekend. Am I wrong about that?

[chobi]

What do you think about the style of election campaigns in Japan? I really hate those loudspeaker vans driving around just begging for votes. Basically, all they do is repeat the candidates name and say please vote for me.

I hate them too. They make me think not want to vote for them.

They also say "arigatou gozaimasu, arigatou gozaimasu, okuruma karano goseien arigatou gozaimasu!" = "Thank you, thank you, thank you for cheering from your car!".

Nobady is cheering from the car.

[chobi]

I noticed that a lot of the campaigns gained momentum this past week. I also noticed that it seems they are not allowed to use the loudspeakers on the weekend. Am I wrong about that?

Last Sunday was the Upper House (Sangiin) election.
They are allow to use the loudspeakers 8am to 8pm include a weekend until the day before the election day.

[TheNoNamedOne]

lol. I usually wave to them because the girls waving with their white gloves are usually pretty.

They wave back and every freakin one of them looks at my license plate to see if I have a Y Plate. No, I don't. But kind of funny.

[chobi]

lol. You are the only one I know who wave to them.

[socalheart]

:mad: An unequivocable, seething, loathsome, acidic hatred is felt by me and my husband for these annoyingly loud, grating and disturbing politicians with mobile loudspeakers.

We live nine stories up from the street and still hear them on the street behind the building. They park in front of the building and blare their loudspeakers. The majority of residents in this building are Americans (noted obviously by the numerous Y-plates in the parking lot and huge, American satellite dishes on the balconies visible from the street) and don't vote or understand Japanese. My husband works nights and sleeps days, so it really pisses us off when they do it. I've had to stop him from throwing things at them from our balcony, which is (again) nine stories up. There's a pachinko parlour and two shopping malls down the street from us. Why don't they bother those people who understand Japanese and can vote?! If causing grievous bodily harm to a person weren't illegal, I'd seriously think about letting someone else do them some in healthy doses on as regular a basis as they do the loudspeaker thing.

[TheNoNamedOne]

lol. You are the only one I know who wave to them.

It makes me feel popular when a whole minivan load of girls wave furiously at me. I think all the drivers in cars around me must be thinking:

"Wow. He knows all those hot lookin' girls. Wish I was him."

[dk]

It makes me feel popular when a whole minivan load of girls wave furiously at me. I think all the drivers in cars around me must be thinking:

"Wow. He knows all those hot lookin' girls. Wish I was him."
That's exactly what we're thinking!

:thumbdown:

LMAO

[DoctorP]

I wave at them all the time...now I have my daughter doing it too!

[P_chan]

Heh I wave at them all the time too! I think that they think I'm a tad special once I do it. But hey I want them to feel important and useful!...Actually no I don't.

[DoctorP]

Usually the two flags waving on the front of my car make people think that I am special anyway!

[dk]

Usually the two flags waving on the front of my car make people think that I am special anyway!
Dude, you have two flags waving on the front of your car? And you've never given me a ride?

Can I dress up like I'm the leader of some foreign nation and you can drive me around all day? I bet we'd be a hit with the ladies!<3

[chobi]

OK, I am not going to complain about "thank you for cheering from your car". :army:

[Bones]

Hey dk, Dr.P, can I hang out with you guys during the next election?

I used to wave at the cars too. But all they ever did was throw things at me. :(

NBTP

[thistle]

Always amuses me that they make a point of waving to us foreigners anyway, and they even give me flyers at my postbox - do they not know we cannot even vote for them:D

[dk]

Hey dk, Dr.P, can I hang out with you guys during the next election?
Heck yeah. If there's three of us, we might as well pick up one girl to wave for us, rent our own van with a speaker, and have our own election campaign!

VOTE FOR DK! VOTE FOR DK! :first:

[socalheart]

Heck yeah. If there's three of us, we might as well pick up one girl to wave for us, rent our own van with a speaker, and have our own election campaign!

VOTE FOR DK! VOTE FOR DK! :first:

I volunteer my husband! He waves at them too. :D

[dk]

I volunteer my husband! He waves at them too. :D
Sure! He's welcome to come along! And when we make public appearances at places like Palette Kumoji (spelling?) do you think he'd mind being the guy who hands out tissue packets? We need a few of those!