Preamble:
In this neon-lit city of Tokyo, a seemingly ordinary but extraordinary mayoral campaign is quietly kicking off.
Imagine a busy Shibuya intersection with crowds and huge LED screens scrolling with campaign ads, and behind the glamour of this glamour a political drama even more dramatic than the Akihabara cosplay is unfolding.
The mayor of Tokyo, this position sounds like a superhero character jumping out of a comic, holding not an ordinary key, but a secret switch that can open the heart of Asia, Tokyo, the city of the future.
Think about it, a word can promote technology, a word can revive tradition, and the influence is so great that it can cross the Pacific Ocean, so that people on the other side of the world have to prick up their ears to listen.
And this year, this extraordinary location has ushered in 56 "city guardians", which is even more powerful than the little fresh meat in the popular variety show "Creation Camp", which makes people think that they have strayed into the audition scene of a large-scale reality show.
These 56 candidates, all with a small flame of "C-position debut" in their hearts, dreamed of leaving their names on the Tokyo skyline, but this dream journey is a bit like getting on the last train missed, and the destination seems to be different from what everyone expected.
After all, when we usually watch the draft, we look at talent, appearance, and story, but now it's a big competition to see policy, eloquence, and who can bring a new atmosphere to Tokyo.
This wave of operations is really more exciting than the TV series, and people can't help but sigh that the original mayoral campaign can be so "down-to-earth", with a trace of "magical reality".
Having said that, with so many candidates competing on the same stage, it is not only an escalation of the difficulty of multiple-choice questions for Tokyo citizens, but also a rare opportunity to participate in the future of the city.
It's like being in a supermarket with a wide variety of products, and each candidate is like a "Tokyo Future Imagination Edition" with a different label.
It's just that this kind of "draft" is a little more solemn and a little less entertaining, after all, it is the leader who will lead Tokyo to continue to shine on the global stage.
Among them, Airi Naiya, a 31-year-old "sudden rise", broke into this political feast with a youthful image, but her political opinion presentation was a big surprise.
On June 27, when the spotlight was in focus, she actually staged a "Victoria's Secret Show in the Political Arena", saying "Look at the cute me expressing her political opinions", while "generously" showing her "political capital".
This move makes people wonder whether this is a challenge to the traditional election model or an extreme expression of individualism.
Nei Aili's political proposition is even more ridiculous.
"Please be my friend", "promote your own online channel", "let everyone know me", these sounds more like self-promotion on social platforms than a blueprint for governing a cosmopolitan city.
Citizens and pundits shook their heads, some seeing it as grandstanding, while others saw the sadness of modern politics – when attention becomes hard currency, issues that really concern people's livelihoods are marginalized.
And the appearance of Yuyou Hanoi made this campaign completely turned into a "performance art exhibition".
His campaign strategy was simple and crude — plastering his own "uncensored posters" on the streets and alleys to give voters an "up-close" look at the candidates.
The act quickly sparked public revulsion, and citizens spontaneously organized a clean-up, and Hanoi's public apology was more like saying, "I just want you to remember me!" What's even more astonishing is that the emergence of the "polygamy" propaganda poster has completely plunged this campaign into the whirlpool of public opinion.
On the Internet, the people who eat melons express their opinions, some ridicule, some criticize, and some have inexplicable support, as if everyone has become a judge of this "political reality show".
Someone jokingly said: "It's much more exciting than watching a late-night drama." ”
Behind the laughter lies a decline in public trust in politics and a frustration at the marginalization of serious political topics.
Counting from the time of the ancestors, the "strange" and "strange" in Japanese politics are like commonplace, and they will give you a little surprise from time to time.
But seriously, the big scene of this election is simply a thunder on the ground, and people's eyes are about to fall.
Compared with those serious and well-suited campaign opponents in the West, Japan is more like jumping out of the second dimension this time, making the onlookers wonder if they have strayed into a new world.
You see, the candidates are dressed up more attentively than cosplay, and their speeches are like the declaration of the protagonist in a hot-blooded anime, vowing to grasp the hearts of voters.
Is this "creativity" a clear stream in the democratic process, or is it actually a bottle of seasoning that I don't know?
Imagine if we did the same in our election, would we be able to see the candidates dancing on the stage tomorrow, talking about policies with cross talk, or simply having a live-action version of "Werewolf Killing", and guessing who the "prophet" is by the way during the debate?
This picture, just thinking about it makes people laugh, but after laughing, we also have to ponder whether such a "creative campaign" can really promote social progress and convince everyone to vote.
After all, democracy is not child's play, and voters want tangible policies and change, not visual spectacle.
Therefore, whether Japan's election drama is a new trend in the political arena or just an eye-catching farce, we have to observe while eating melons to see if we can produce melons in the end.
Epilogue:
We must not only put an end to this farce, but also learn from it.
The bizarre event of Tokyo's mayoral election is hilarious, but it is also a wake-up call.
Future campaigns should return to the essence and focus on policies, ideas, and people's livelihoods, rather than the candidates' "show".
We hope that there will be a real "showdown of powerful parties" in the political arena of Japan and the world, so that every vote of voters can be cast for those candidates who are visionary, responsible, and down-to-earth.
After all, the future of the city should not be a variety show full of jokes.