Candidates turn to social media in Tokyo governor race

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Candidates turn to social media in Tokyo governor race

Candidates turn to social media in Tokyo governor race

They are among 56 people who are vying for the Tokyo governor seat in the upcoming election. (X/ @renho_sha)

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29 Jun 2024 06:06:04 GMT9

TOKYO: Candidates for the July 7 Tokyo gubernatorial election are actively campaigning on social media in hopes to boost their presence.

KOIKE Yuriko, 71, who is seeking a third term as governor of the Japanese capital, posted a video of an artificial intelligence version of herself, aptly named “AI Yuriko,” shortly after she announced her candidacy.

AI Yuriko touted Koike’s achievements and promoted her policies, in place of the busy incumbent, attracting attention from social media users.

【#AIゆりこからのお知らせ】
AI YURIKO NEWS をご覧いただき、ありがとうございます。一点、お知らせがあります。
AIゆりこは、東京都の事業ではありません。小池ゆりこの政治活動の一環として開発・運用していますので、税金は一切使われていません。
それでは次回のAI YURIKO NEWS をお楽しみに。 pic.twitter.com/DrzYULZ37p
— 小池百合子 (@ecoyuri) June 14, 2024

Hoping to push an image of being relatable, Renho, 56, a former member of parliament, held live sessions on her social media account in casual clothing, answering questions from viewers.

ISHIMARU Shinji, 41, who garnered social media attention during his days as mayor of Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, has been promptly posting photos of his stump speeches on his account on X, formerly Twitter, while encouraging attendees to speak up.

They are among 56 people who are vying for the Tokyo governor seat in the upcoming election.

今日はかつて住んでいた #錦糸町で街頭演説（左）を行いました。

4年前にあった #安芸高田市長選での街頭?演説（右）と話している中身はあまり変わりません。

皆で選挙をやりましょう。自分の役割を果たすのみ、です😀#東京都知事選 #石丸伸二 #東京を動かそう pic.twitter.com/Fsausp2pSU
— 石丸伸二（東京都知事候補） (@shinji_ishimaru) June 22, 2024

Japan lifted a ban on online campaigning by candidates over 10 years ago. Experts warn that while social media give voters more insight into candidates, there are risks of information bias.

NAKAMURA Yoshimi, head of Net Communication Research Institute, a think tank that studies politicians’ use of social media, said, “Elections now have become a form of entertainment, with people looking for topics that create a buzz.”

Some users post inaccurate information in hopes to increase the number of views.

“Voters, too, need to develop information literacy capabilities, which help determine whether certain social media posts are true or whether certain policies are feasible,” Nakamura said.

JIJI Press

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