A Japanese woman hoping to be governor of Tokyo opted for an unconventional approach to winning votes by stripping off and asking viewers if they thought she was sexy.
The display caught viewers off guard when it was broadcast late last month on the public broadcaster NHK, where all election candidates are given equal airtime.
Airi Uchino made her bid as part of what was named the 'Watch My Cute Political Broadcast' party, in the process making herself one of a record 56 people who chose to run in the election to become the new governor of Japan's capital city.
When the time came for her to sell herself to voters, Uchino unbuttoned her stripy shirt to reveal a nude-colored bandeau top underneath, which just covered her chest.
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Uchino then leaned forward to cover the bandeau, making herself appear completely nude as she said: “I’m so cute; please watch my campaign broadcast. Do you think I’m sexy?”
With a sign language interpreter standing behind her to translate, Uchino also asked viewers to add her on messaging app Line.
Though Uchino did not have to pay for her broadcast on NHK, The Straits Times reports that candidates for governor must pay a deposit of three million yen ($19,000) to the authorities while running. If the candidates fail to get at least 10 percent of the vote, the money is then forfeited.
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Uchino's segment shocked viewers and was met with criticism when it made its way to social media, where some questioned how Uchino had managed to become a candidate.
"I’m a Tokyo resident, and this governor election is really giving me a headache!
Seriously, how do these kinds of people even get in the race?!," one person wrote.
Another commented: "God and we think Americas politics is wild."
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Other viewers found the clip funny, with one joking on Reddit that the candidates currently hoping to be the next US president should take note.
"That’s it. I think we should decide the Trump/Biden election with a strip-off," they wrote.
After seeing the video, another joked: "[OnlyFans] advertising is really out of control."
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In spite of Uchino's efforts, she did not manage to win the race to become Tokyo's next governor as she lost out to Koike Yuriko, whose win secured her third term.
In fact, Uchino didn't even make it into the top three of candidates.
Second place in the vote went to Ishimaru Shinji, a former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima prefecture, while third place went to Renhō, supported by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Communist Party.
Topics: Politics, Japan, Social Media
Emily Brown