Photo/Illutration A poster of Kentaro Uesugi, a Lower House member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, top, features Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, in June. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Preparing for the Lower House election this autumn, Liberal Democratic Party incumbents must have been asking themselves this tough question: "Whom should I ask to appear with me on my campaign poster?"

To find out who their rigorously vetted "partners" are, I braved yesterday's brutal heat and zipped through a few voting districts in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Most of the posters were of the type called "2-ren posuta" (literally "double poster"), on which the candidate is pictured with another person. There also were some "3-ren" (triple) posters, which showed the candidate plus their two backers.

Since Kanagawa is Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's home turf, he appeared on a number of posters. But not one candidate had him as their only buddy. Suga was merely one of their two sidekicks.

Individuals chosen as the candidates' poster mates included high-profile Cabinet ministers, female legislators and local municipal assembly members. The diversity exceeded my expectations.

Completely absent were posters showing the candidates alone. Intrigued, I asked the internal affairs ministry why, and was told the Public Offices Election Law is the reason.

Under the "political reforms of the Heisei Era," the law in 1994 banned Lower House legislators from posing solo on campaign posters during the last six months of their term.

The purpose was to make elections less costly, but the change was also made in consideration of scenic aesthetic standards.

I was surprised to learn that this "six-month rule" has been in effect since 2009. At that time, then-Prime Minister Taro Aso missed the timing of the Lower House dissolution because he was dealing with the financial crisis triggered by the collapse of the U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers.

During the ensuing Lower House election campaign, "double" and "triple" posters flooded the scene.

The Aso Cabinet's approval ratings languished, and the media reported that LDP candidates made a point not to be seen with the prime minister on their campaign posters.

What are the thoughts of LDP candidates this time?

"Until last autumn, choosing Suga as my poster buddy was a possibility," said a seasoned legislator. But this past spring, he noted, he followed the advice of his constituents to pick Taro Kono, the minister for administrative reform and regulatory reform.

A younger member confided, "To be frank, I want only an A-list star next to me on my poster."

The LDP's presidential race is now getting into high gear. Where are the "faces of the ruling party" on Lower House election posters headed?

Not everyone watching the race very closely is necessarily an LDP member or supporter.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 27

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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