Blizzardboy | A Kiwi in Japan

At last a campaign I can get my head, er, I mean my ears, around. 10 local politicians have announced that they have set up a campaign to stop the noise pollution caused by Japanese politicians. In what is certainly strong evidence refuting the theory of intelligent design, Japanese politicians and their myrmidons feel it necessary to drive around from dawn to dusk blaring out their names and little else.

It has always amazed me that people would actually consider it a necessity to do such a thing in order to gain election, but I imagine that as everyone else is doing it, no politician has seriously considered refraining from the “refrains”. Also the fact that more cash “slips” into their pockets as a result, may have a little to do with the continuation of the practice.

Here is the story from Mainichi:

10 local politicians set up anti-election noise campaign

Ten local politicians, mostly those running in the second round of the unified local elections next Sunday, have set up a network opposing the blaring of candidates’ names from loudspeakers on election campaign cars.

“I’ll launch a campaign without using a car that would create noise, emit exhaust fumes and cost taxpayers money,” a 37-year-old candidate, who is running in Tokyo’s Chofu Municipal Assembly election on the ticket of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), said as he launched his campaign.

“Blaring candidates’ names from loudspeakers is a nuisance and its effect is doubtful. We shouldn’t waste taxpayers’ money,” said a 28-year-old candidate in the election for the Kumagaya Municipal Assembly in northern Saitama Prefecture.

He travels through his neighborhood by bicycle asking residents for support. “People speak to me more easily than to candidates riding in campaign cars. I’d like to have closer dialogue with local residents,” said the candidate, who is also a member of the network.

The network was founded by 10 candidates in local elections in the Kanto region who have agreed not to set up loudspeakers on their election cars, not to make any sound from election cars and not to apply for government subsidies to cover the costs of operating such vehicles.

In a separate move, 10 incumbent members of the Hitachi Municipal Assembly in Ibaraki Prefecture, who are seeking re-election, are refraining from using campaign cars and instead delivered street speeches using hand-held microphones.

Under the Public Offices Election Law, the government provides up to 246,050 yen in subsidies to cover the expenses of an election campaign car for each candidate over a seven-day period. The amount goes up to 451,500 yen if a candidate rents a car during their campaign. (Mainichi)

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