The Decline of Sexy Hair in Japanese Politics

Having sexy hair has always been an important factor in becoming the Prime Minister of Japan.  At least since I've been here, anyway. 

If you want to avert direct criticism, avoid important topics altogether or appear uncontroversial in a political arena (and all this happens surprisingly often if you are Japanese!) then there is no better diversion than sexy hair.

Remember old Koizumi?  His portrait makes me nostalgic for the days when media such as Asiaweek.com found it relevant to report that:

Women's magazines have labeled Koizumi attractive, sexy even. He is slender, tall and boyish. . .That hairstyle is no accident...Koizumi has the front permed four times a year. Recently, he consulted the barber on whether he should dye his grayish hair a lighter color, or maybe restore it to black.

After Koizumi stepped down, many had high hopes that Shinzo Abe could be just as sexy in the face of political pressures.

In a much referred to statement, political commentator Minoru Morita observed that: "Abe's popularity isn't so much about his politics. It's about Abe as a person — his ease with the media, youth, personality and handsome looks."

And yet, as we now know, Abe's hair has not been nearly sexy enough to mask the many scandals that plagued his stint as Japan's Prime Minister.

Throughout his term, the public has been subject to constant observations that Abe's hairstyle just doesn't measure up to that of Koizumi.

And now, as of today, we have the new guy: Yasuo Fukuda.

Such a blatant lack of sexy hair really makes one nostalgic for the Koizuminator. 

Today marks the end of an era.

Comments

[VicariousRising]

I can't imagine he's going to help with getting the women to be more efficient birth giving machines. Or whatever it was that dude called 'em. Honestly, I don't know how it is there hasn't been some sort of riot amongst the women there. I had a sucky, repressed, beaten down childhood and I saw what it did to me. Can't imagine a hoard of females done in that way. I'd watch out.

Oh well. What do I know anyways? I'm just another drunk trying to live life better than I was.