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Japan Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Highlight videos online playing big role in Upper House election
Highlight videos, or short videos utilizing clips posted by political parties and candidates, on social media are playing a major role in Japan's election for the Upper House on Sunday. Social media is increasingly impacting election results amid the growing popularity of YouTube and other video-sharing sites. Some video creators seek to boost specific parties or candidates, while others are motivated by advertising revenue generated by views. A former company employee in his 30s living in Tokyo began posting highlight videos on YouTube in December 2023. He said he was inspired by a video of a news conference given by Shinji Ishimaru, then mayor of Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture, whom he said "spoke very logically." After viewing highlight videos made by other posters, the man came to believe that he could "convey (Ishimaru's ideas) in an easier-to-understand way." He viewed Ishimaru's other news conferences to "understand his thinking" and made short videos around a minute long for younger audiences. Although he hadn't formally learned video production, one of his posts racked up 100,000 views in the first hour and has some 12 million views thus far. His channel gained around 120,000 subscribers in half a year, and the current tally stands at about 290,000. He has posted over 1,300 videos. His income doubled from his days as a company employee thanks to ad revenue on his videos and tips from viewers. But he said his "working hours have also doubled, to around 16 hours per day" as he livestreams stump speeches and edits videos. He uploads videos every day. During election periods, the man travels around the country at his own expense to follow Ishimaru. Including costs for equipment such as cameras and computers, his annual expenses reach about ¥10 million ($67,250). "My aim is to get people interested in politics and vote," he said. "It's not just about revenue." The man said he thinks about his many viewers when working on videos, saying: "Public interest is essential for videos I post. (The work) also comes with responsibility." Ishimaru's political group is fielding ten candidates in the upcoming Upper House election, although he is not running, himself. Meanwhile, a company employee in his 30s from Obihiro in Hokkaido launched a YouTube channel as a side job last September, thinking that highlight videos would be a hit. He edits videos from around 9 p.m. after returning home from work. He uploads videos that are 10 to 15 minutes long using official videos of parties and candidates who allow their content to be used in such videos. But he has yet to monetize his channel as he cannot post regularly. Each video takes around six hours to make. "Highlight videos are attracting attention during the Upper House election period," he said. "I want to increase the number of posts." He avoids sensational expressions aimed at generating viral popularity, saying that prioritizing drawing viewers' interest over sticking to facts in an attention economy is "right from a business perspective," but he added that "it's best to cheer on your favorite politicians."
7 days ago
- Politics
2025 POLLS: Highlight Videos Playing Big Role in Election
News from Japan Politics Jul 17, 2025 15:29 (JST) Tokyo, July 17 (Jiji Press)--Highlight videos, or short videos utilizing clips posted by political parties and candidates, on social media are playing a major role in Japan's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, on Sunday. Social media is increasingly impacting election results amid the growing popularity of YouTube and other video-sharing sites. Some video creators seek to boost specific parties or candidates, while others are motivated by advertising revenue generated by views. A former company employee in his 30s living in Tokyo began posting highlight videos on YouTube in December 2023. He said he was inspired by a video of a press conference given by Shinji Ishimaru, then mayor of Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, whom he said 'spoke very logically.' After viewing highlight videos made by other posters, the man came to believe that he could 'convey (Ishimaru's ideas) in an easier-to-understand way.' [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
After spouse passes, Japan woman 'uplifted' by alternate online political info, candidates
TOKYO -- In the Japanese capital in mid-May, a woman planning to run in this summer's House of Councillors election was delivering a speech on the basement floor of JR Shinjuku Station's west exit, with the subject centering around criticism of the Chinese Communist Party. Many in the audience intently listened, with around 60 to 70 people staying throughout her two-hour speech. "Unless people take interest in politics, Japan will become a colony of China," the woman stated. In the audience was Yamada (a pseudonym), a 70-year-old woman, with a "hinomaru" Japanese flag of the rising sun in her hand. A resident of the Tokyo suburban city of Machida, she works part-time at a nursing care facility. "I've been coming here since last week. That's because I've noticed that something is wrong with Japan. I'm listening to a lot of people on videos. You don't know what's going on in Japan by watching the news (in mass media). They are biased. The Mainichi Shimbun gets commissions by selling information to China, doesn't it? That's no good," she harshly told this reporter when I approached her for an interview. The Mainichi is not selling information obtained through its news coverage to Chinese authorities. But she wouldn't give me room to refute her claims. She repeatedly mentioned a "conspiracy theory" and said, "Around half of Diet members are people from 'the other side.'" Yet, Yamada gradually began to share her own life story, and we met again sometime later. She lost her husband to cancer two years ago after nearly half a century of marriage. They had no children, and she was engulfed with a deep sense of loss right after his passing. She was at a loss, and couldn't get anything done. Around half a year ago, finally finding a bit of calm, she started to follow politicians who looked "young, powerful and as good-looking as possible" to her, including Shinji Ishimaru, who garnered massive votes in last year's Tokyo gubernatorial race, and Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) leader Yuichiro Tamaki. "It doesn't cost you any money, and it benefits society. I also get uplifted (while cheering for them)," she explained. Around the same time, she began watching YouTube to learn about politics and world news. In particular, she draws on footage streamed by international affairs analysts emphasizing "the truth that is not reported by the media." She confides, "My brain tends to start thinking about painful things unless it is doing something else. To get away from it (avoid thinking about my husband), I'm watching videos." She spends almost all of her free time viewing those videos, sleep being the only exception. "(My mobile data) is running short," she said with a wry smile. She became a member of the DPFP three months ago. Her reasoning was that the party is powerful enough to achieve a regime change and is "almost centrist." She owns two mobiles -- a smartphone for watching videos and a feature phone. The latter's standby screen shows a picture of her late husband. They are still together, all the time. "Honestly, I'd like to be part of this photo, but I'm doing this as I know I'll still have things to do for the rest of my life," she said.
The Mainichi
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Japan Supreme Court upholds damages against city over defamation by ex-Mayor Ishimaru
TOKYO -- Japan's Supreme Court on April 23 upheld two lower court rulings that ordered the city of Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture, to pay damages for defamation caused by social media remarks by former Mayor Shinji Ishimaru, rejecting an appeal by the city. In its ruling, the Third Petty Bench of the Supreme Court overseen by Presiding Justice Kimihiro Ishikane upheld earlier district and high court decisions that had ordered the city to pay 330,000 yen (approx. $2,300) in damages for defamation of assembly member Atsuko Yamane, finalizing the municipal government's defeat in the case. The decision was unanimous by the five justices present. After serving as mayor of Akitakata, Ishimaru ran in the Tokyo gubernatorial election in July 2024, placing second in the race. According to the lower court rulings, in November 2020, when Ishimaru held the mayoral post, he repeatedly posted claims on social media saying that when he discussed the state of the assembly with council members, Yamane threatened, "If you make enemies of the assembly, it will be impossible to pass policies." The Hiroshima District Court ruling in December 2023 found that the alleged statement was not recorded in audio data of the meeting, and determined the posts were untrue. Since the posts were made using the mayoral account, the court recognized the act as an official duty. The Hiroshima High Court in July 2024 supported this judgment. Under Japan's State Redress Act, if a local government employee such as a mayor is found to have caused damage to another person unlawfully, the municipality, not the individual official, is liable for compensation.
Japan Times
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Tokyo hopeful's campaign team accused of election law violation
An election team for Shinji Ishimaru, who unsuccessfully ran in last year's Tokyo gubernatorial election, has been accused of paying a company to livestream a campaign event, in violation of the election law. A university professor and a civic group separately filed a criminal complaint with the Metropolitan Police Department, which were both accepted on Tuesday. The complaint alleges that Ishimaru's election team paid the company a total of ¥977,350 to livestream a gathering on YouTube that was held on July 5 last year — two days before the election — with the money partly used to cover labor costs.
