Japan’s Political Parties Present Policies via Manga; Material Aimed at Kids May Catch Parents’ Eyes, Too

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:06 JST, October 24, 2024

Japan’s political parties have been introducing their policies to schoolchildren and others by means such as illustrations and manga on their websites in the hope of deepening young people’s interest in politics during the campaign for the upcoming House of Representatives election.

Through such moves, the parties are believed to be hoping their messages will reach parents, too.

The Liberal Democratic Party published a pamphlet on its policies for children in the style of picture book.

Using illustrations in soft colors and simple language, “Minna e no Yakusoku” (Promises to everyone) explains the party’s efforts to restore public trust in politics by comparing them to rules that are familiar to children, such as “you should wash your hands before eating school lunch.”

“This will lead to their support for the party when they grow up and have the right to vote. It will also provide an opportunity for their parents to read it together with the children and learn the party’s policies,” an LDP official said.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan made a picture-book-style leaflet titled “Kodomo-tachi ni Yonde Hoshii Itsutsu no Koto” (Five things we want children to read). It explains the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and introduces the party’s policies including the expansion of child allowances and the reform of unreasonable school rules, also known as “black school rules.”

The Japan Innovation Party created a series of four-panel comic strips introducing the party’s policies and principles. A wild boar mascot character explains the JIP’s slogan of “self-sacrificing reforms” and other topics through workplace conversations and other situations in the series.

Komeito unveiled a manifesto on children and child-rearing, in which all kanji characters are accompanied by furigana phonetic characters to indicate pronunciation. “Kodomo Kosodate Manifesto 2024” summarizes six items as the party’s promises, including realizing “a society that puts the happiness of children first.”

The Japanese Communist Party also introduces its campaign pledges using manga-like illustrations.

Pledging to reduce taxes related to young people, the Democratic Party for the People calls for exempting young working people from income and residential tax, among other things.