The Yomiuri Shimbun
NAGASAKI--Eriko Fukuda is creating a stir as a celebrity candidate for the Democratic Party of Japan in the upcoming House of Representatives election.
Fukuda, 28, a plaintiff in a successful lawsuit for victims of hepatitis C caused by tainted blood products, is standing in Nagasaki Constituency No. 2.
The party urged her to run because she is recognized by many people across the country for speaking out on behalf of hepatitis sufferers.
Speaking alongside DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama at a meeting on July 12 in Unzen, Nagasaki Prefecture, Fukuda stressed her tenacious character.
"I was infected with hepatitis C and have fought the government and the administration of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry," Fukuda said to about 500 people present. "People tell me I look smaller than I do on TV, but I practiced karate at high school."
She announced her candidacy last autumn, when many expected the lower house to be dissolved. But with the dissolution delayed until now, Fukuda has been forced to add strings to her bow, rather than rely solely on her fame.
With some voters starting to say they would prefer it if Fukuda spoke more about local issues rather than the disease she suffers from, her campaign office came up with the idea of holding weekly lecture meetings at which Fukuda and voters would listen together to expert speakers.
Her office invited specialists on such subjects as agriculture and roads to talk at the two-hour lectures, which were held for three months through June.
However, Fukuda is running against a Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight in former Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma.
Since being forced to resign as minister following a verbal gaffe--he said the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki "couldn't be helped"--Kyuma has been working hard to reclaim lost support.
Kyuma, 68, is the incumbent member for the constituency and is campaigning on a community-orientated platform. On Sunday morning a navy-suited Kyuma made an appearance at a citizens sports meeting in Minami-Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture.
(Jul. 22, 2009)
Posts
