"Election campaigns in Japan are brief but noisy."
This sentiment was echoed by many foreign residents of Japan when asked about
the June 2000 general election. The two-week campaign period, which fell in the
middle of the rainy season, brought out one of the main features of any Japanese
election campaign-sound trucks.
For those unfamiliar with the Japanese election system, sound trucks are vehicles,
usually vans, which have loudspeakers mounted on them. Japanese law strictly limits
the distribution of posters and prohibits broadcast advertising. Because of this,
sound trucks are one of the primary ways to create voter awareness of a candidate.
Candidates and volunteers or staff members drive though neighborhoods in the voting
district. The loudspeakers project the candidate's name, party affiliation, and
perhaps a brief slogan. The most common phrase heard is "Yoroshiku onegai
shimasu," "Please remember me."
Residents in areas with fiercely contested seats are visited more frequently by
sound trucks than those in "safe" districts. Regardless of where they
live, however, foreign residents are well aware of this feature of Japanese elections.
Opinions about sound trucks vary from bemused tolerance to deep annoyance. A total
of 27 non-Japanese residents living in the Osaka area were asked to comment on
the June, 2000 campaign and election. Most respondents (16 women and 11 men) said
their primary impression of this campaign period, as well as others they had observed,
was the noise of sound trucks and the lack of substantial discussion of issues.
The respondents were from countries in Europe, North and South America, and Asia.
The average length of residency in Japan was nine years, though length of stay
ranged from two to 38 years. All professed some ability in Japanese, ranging from
"good enough for daily conversation" to fluent.
Those living in Japan for more than 10 years were generally more tolerant of their
use, however, all felt that sound trucks did little to increase voter support
for candidates or turnout at voting centers because of the limited amount of information
the provided.
"There is a real lack of substance in Japanese campaigns, probably encouraged
by sound trucks," said one woman from the U.S.
"Voters can't tell you what a candidate believes about any issue of concern
to the local community," commented a woman from Peru.
A long-term resident from Australia felt that the lack of debate between candidates
encouraged "politics as usual." "People seem to vote for the party
they've always voted for, though I was surprised this year by the support the
largest opposition party (the Liberal Party) received."
Many foreign residents were concerned about voter apathy and the low voter turnout.
"This (low turnout) might be encouraged by the election campaign system,"
said one Korean national.
Overall, those foreign residents who said they had voted in their countries last
election had the highest level of interest in Japan's June 2000 elections.
"It's always interesting to watch how Japan works," said one person
from England. "The use of the Internet this election adds a new dimension,
but basically the campaigns are loud."
As sound trucks are sure to remain a common campaign feature in Japan, loud and
noisy will continue to be the main feature of any election. |
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