Nukes on Tweeter

 January 30, 2014

Nuclear power most often tweeted issue in Tokyo governor race: poll

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140130p2a00m0na013000c.html 

A joint study on Internet-based campaigning, which focuses on the social media site Twitter conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun and Ritsumeikan University in the lead-up to the Feb. 9 Tokyo gubernatorial election, has revealed that the top theme tweeted with respect to all four major candidates is the energy issue, including nuclear power.

The study, led on the Ritsumeikan University side by Special Guest Associate Professor Ryosuke Nishida, revealed that nuclear power -- which was also widely tweeted about during last year's House of Councillors election -- continues to be an issue of deep concern among the public.

Utilizing analysis-based software known as "Garnet" from G-Search corporation, the number of individual messages sent out by Twitter users were tallied during the week-long period from Jan. 20 to 26.

The highest number of tweets sent out regarding candidate Kenji Utsunomiya, 67 -- a former Japan Federation of Bar Associations president who advocates abandoning nuclear power -- focused on the nuclear power issue, at 43,133. The terms "black" -- presumably Twitter shorthand for the term "black corporations," referring to companies that exploit young workers through harsh working conditions -- and "employment" were also highly tweeted with respect to Utsunomiya, which is likely a reflection of his endorsement by the Japanese Communist Party.

Twitter comments related to former Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Toshio Tamogami, 65, and former Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe, 65, were both also highly concentrated around the nuclear power issue.

Tweets associated with Tamogami also included wide use of the terms "self-defense" -- which is probably due to his association with the Self-Defense Forces, as well as his support for Japan's exercise of the right to collective self-defense -- and "earthquakes/disaster prevention," given his strong focus upon anti-disaster measures.

Often tweeted with regard to Masuzoe was "social welfare," which is presumably attributable to his history with the Health Ministry and his own experience with caregiving -- as well as an indication that his focus upon social security-related issues within the present election campaign is attracting notice within the Twittersphere.

The hands-down highest number of tweets associated with former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, 76, who is calling for an immediate end to nuclear power, referred to "nuclear power," at 91,212. Also notably high were tweets including the word "prime minister," which -- in addition to Hosokawa's own former title -- is a likely reference to growing public interest in former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who has lately been appearing alongside Hosokawa during election campaigning on the streets.

January 30, 2014(Mainichi Japan)