Young, debonair and eloquent, Shinjiro Koizumi has, in a way, become the political equivalent of a pop idol.
On the campaign trail, the son of charismatic former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attracts a huge crowd that nobody else in his Liberal Democratic Party can, and often finds himself swarmed by fans — mostly female — eager for a handshake and a selfie.
"I've always said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is the LDP's most popular guest speaker for its candidates on the stump, and Koizumi is the second-best. But now, it looks like Koizumi's ability to draw a crowd has surpassed the prime minister's," LDP Upper House member Ichita Yamamoto blogged in amazement in February as he reflected on his party's victory in the mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture.