Elections in Japan can be noisy. But there is hope. Change is coming, but it will take a long time before it will quiet down around election time.
In Okubo they wait until after 9 a.m. before turning on the noise machines. After nine, the streets are constantly ringing with the sound of someone in a huge voice repeating “Please vote for me!” ten times and “Sorry about the noise!” once.
When I got Okubo station last night after midnight, a campaigning official wearing the standard “beauty contestant sash” stood at the gates with five of his supporters lined up on either side as swarms of tired, hungover people came out. They bowed, asked for our support in tired monotone, then repeated. My first thought was “tell me why I should vote for you… don’t just bow and wave and hope I remember your name!” But then I remembered.
I don’t get a vote here.
