We have written before about political candidate Yukiko Kaname, who is hoping to win election one day as a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker. Having failed to win a seat in 2022, the sex-positive feminist Kaname is undeterred and her main campaigning revolves around key issues related to equality for sex workers. With a Lower House election likely to happen this year, the 47-year-old Kaname is still working hard to make a name for herself among potential voters. She recently stirred up controversy by promising a since-deleted tweet to ask the prime minister if he has ever ...

Elections bring out the eccentrics, with plenty of novelty candidates reliably popping up to keep us amused. Past examples include the wannabe politician who wore government-supplied face masks as a bra or the regular appearances of Teruki Goto -- including once nude on his campaign poster. With the recent passing of the controversial new law regulating the porn industry, how are candidates responding to the current situation? We found two intriguing examples among candidates for the upcoming Upper House election. Riyo Takahashi, the 48-year-old founder of the Japanese video hosting site ...