In a bold bid for votes ahead of Tokyo’s gubernatorial election, one candidate made waves by shedding more than just light on her policies during her televised campaign speech.
As she addressed the nation, Uchino Airi took campaign theatrics to a whole new level when she started undressing during the broadcast.
She even asked viewers if they thought she was sexy and invited them to add her on the messaging app LINE, promising to respond to each message personally.
After unbuttoning her blouse, Ms Uchino delivered the rest of her speech in a nude-coloured tube top.
The political stunt quickly became the talk of the town.
Clips of the unconventional speech spread like wildfire, garnering over 4 million views and counting on X.
One post, which features only images, has over 18 million views.
Source: @Iumo13 on X
In response, numerous Japanese netizens expressed disbelief and embarrassment that such an incident occurred during a political broadcast in their country.
Some even questioned how such a spectacle could have been permitted.
Jeffrey Hall, a Kanda University of International Studies lecturer, provided insights into Ms Uchino’s stunt on a thread on X.
Source: @Iumo13 on X
In a YouTube video, he explained that during highly visible open elections, many fringe candidates utilise political advertisement slots and broadcast airtime to execute attention-grabbing stunts.
These antics range from advocating anti-war or anti-immigration causes to simply seeking personal fame.
Mr Hall noted that such candidates typically do not vie for victory but rather aim to dominate public attention.
He also mentioned that Ms Uchino is associated with the NHK Party.
During a recent debate among lesser-known candidates, she declared her intention to appoint Party leader Takashi Tachibana as Tokyo’s deputy governor.
Also read: Grandson in Japan allegedly withdraws S$342K from grandma’s account for mobile gacha game
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Featured image adapted from @Iumo13 on X.
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