Raw Japan

Shaking hands with the prime minister, sort of

On the last day of Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso’s campaign for last week’s lower house election, I went to cover Aso’s speech in Kamakura to get pictures out as early as possible.

A large crowd of people waited for him to speak, but only a handful of cameraman were at the scene, perhaps reflecting the view that the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was on its way to defeat.

During the election, it was common for politicians to go into crowds of voters to shake hands and as soon as Aso began finishing up his speech, I rushed towards the front row of the crowd with my wide 16mm lens.

Within moments, voters were reaching out their hands and I was practically nose to nose with Aso while angry bodyguards tried to shove me away. I don’t give up easily if there is a chance of a good picture, though.

The next thing I knew, Aso himself suddenly grasped my hands and camera and told me: “You shouldn’t be shooting here. You’ve got to obey the rules. Do you understand?”

It was quite a shock to have Japan’s Prime Minister talking to me like this in front of a large number of people.

Political paparazzi

It’s been a scramble for journalists to follow Yukio Hatoyama’s every move after his Democratic Party won the election by a landslide, making him the next prime minister. 

From his opulent home to gatherings with political and government figures, reporters chase him all around Tokyo, with pit-stops at the Democrats’ headquarters in Nagatacho, the heart of the capital’s political district.

The Democrats’ modest HQ makes the chase harder. Several dozen reporters, including TV crew and photographers, tussle to catch Hatoyama in just the few metres he has to get from his car to the elevator of the building. Another few dozen reporters are standing by in the very narrow hallway on the eighth floor in front of the offices of party executives, including Hatoyama’s.

“He entered the building,” a reporter shouts after getting a call from a colleague downstairs.

All the cameramen rush to get ready to film 15 seconds of Hatoyama walking into his office.