Popularity of new Japan PM Takaichi reaching fever pitch in her home turf of Nara prefecture
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In Nara city, manju sweet buns are sold in packaging that features a drawing of Ms Takaichi .
PHOTO: THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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TOKYO – The popularity of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reaching fever pitch in her political home turf of Nara prefecture.
Visitors have flocked to a museum in Nara city that is exhibiting the first Japanese female prime minister’s
Ms Takaichi was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party on Oct 4 and Prime Minister on Oct 21.
A nationwide public opinion survey by The Yomiuri Shimbun showed that the approval rating of the Takaichi Cabinet stood at 71 per cent immediately after the launch of her Cabinet, the fifth highest such rating ever.
Between 300 and 400 people visited Mahoroba Museum in Nara city on Oct 25 and 26.
The museum, which is run by Nara Toyota, a dealer of Toyota Motor, exhibits restored vintage cars, and daily visitor numbers are 10 times higher than usual.
The president of Nara Toyota has long been a supporter of Ms Takaichi, who is a known car lover.
The first car that the Prime Minister purchased is on display at the museum. The 1991 Supra model sports car, the facility’s most popular exhibit, was acquired from Ms Takaichi in 2022 and has been exhibited ever since.
It is characterised by its all-red interior.
“Since Ms Takaichi is now the Prime Minister, I couldn’t help but come here to see (the car),” said Mr Hirohito Sako, a 43-year-old self-employed man from Koya, Wakayama prefecture, who visited the museum on Oct 23.
World Heritage in Nara city, an operator of hotels and other businesses, began selling red and white manju sweet buns with a drawing of Ms Takaichi and her Cabinet on the packaging on Oct 17.
One box costs 900 yen (S$7.60) including tax.
The company initially prepared 1,680 boxes, but they were sold out by the end of October.
The company said about 300 boxes were sold within a week at a souvenir shop near Nara Park.
“I want to capitalise on Ms Takaichi’s rising popularity and give a boost to Nara tourism,” said representative of the shop Hitomi Nakamura.
Meanwhile, Ms Takaichi’s local office in Yamatokoriyama, Nara prefecture, has been flooded by applications from people wanting to be rank-and-file LDP members.
According to the office, more than 20,000 applications were received between Oct 4 and Oct 23.
“We will keep on working hard so that she can continue to uphold the people’s hope,” said head of the office Tsuyoshi Kinoshita. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
