Thanks to the power of exit polls, we already know the results of some of tonight’s polls. For instance, Ishihara will remain governor of Tokyo for another four years (!). For updates on developments in the election, keep an eye on my Twitter feed. No live blogging tonight. Biking around my old stomping grounds in Adachi-ku has sapped my energy.
Feel free to leave comments/reactions below!
Photo: Osaka governor voting today in a track suit.
Hashimoto didn’t get a straight majority, but his party is now #1 in both Osaka-fu and City. On track to achieve his master-plan of an Osaka-to in 2015?
http://www.nikkei.com/news/latest/article/g=96958A9C93819A91E3E2E2E1E28DE3E2E2E6E0E2E3E3E2E2E2E2E2E2?n_cid=TW001
Oh, and DPJ lost a total of 384 seats nationwide.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20110411/k10015220221000.html
Sad day for Japan. I loathe Higashikokubaru. I know several elderly people who originally said “I guess we have enough with Ishihara” but changed their minds and voted for Ishihara after they knew that Higashikokubara is running for the election.
I would 100% vote for someone besides Ish, but I also have nothing good to say about Higashikokubaru, who tried to prop up the pathetic Aso administration.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/5718286/Struggling-Japanese-PM-turns-to-comedian-for-help.html
That article says it was Aso’s idea and Higashi refused.
Higashi is probably the only active Japanese politician whose charisma rivals Koizumi’s, and I think he could be an excellent PM, in the sense of adding some gravitas and stability to the government, if he only got serious. Though foreign pols would probably have a lot of trouble saying his name.
That said, I probably would have voted for Watanabe this time, since running a chain of izakayas has to be the closest private-sector experience to running Tokyo.
Tomojiro, I have heard people say that about Ishihara for two straight elections — but there is no viable alternative, or at least, the alternatives running in competition to him are big jokes.
“Tomojiro, I have heard people say that about Ishihara for two straight elections—but there is no viable alternative, or at least, the alternatives running in competition to him are big jokes.”
That’s true. I seriously considered to vote for Dr. Nakamatsu for a moment, thinking to my self “Am I becoming crazy?”
An open thread with 6 comments?
Has everyone fled or what
The Tokyo election was depressing 黙殺