For Taro Kono, it’s his outspokenness, sense of humor and savvy presence on social media that have made him a favorite among the public and a front-runner in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election later this month.
But his unorthodox communication style is a double-edged sword and has turned the administrative reform minister into a polarizing figure among some of the Liberal Democratic Party’s influential old guard.
Kono, who is also in charge of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, frequently tops public opinion polls asking voters who they want to see as Japan’s next prime minister.
Experts say his popularity stems in no small part from his active engagement with the public on social media, especially on Twitter, where his Japanese-language account boasts 2.4 million followers. This makes Kono the most followed lawmaker on the platform in Japan, even outshining the 2.2 million followers of Shinzo Abe, who resigned as the nation’s longest-serving prime minister last year. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga lags far behind with under 500,000 followers.
Not long after formally entering the race, the 58-year-old Georgetown University graduate launched a tailored for updates on his LDP election bid, with the new account already boasting over 100,000 followers.
While Cabinet members usually shy away from online behavior that can come across as frivolous, Kono is also adept at projecting a friendly image of himself that is antithetical to the boilerplate bureaucracy many in...
Read Full Story: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/09/12/national/politics-diplomacy/kono-communication-style-social-media/
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