SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTY WANTS BETTER RELATIONS WITH OTHER PLANETS
FILE: UFO2221
By JANICE FUHRMAN Associated Press Writer
TOKYO (AP) -- A political party that wants better relations with other
planets and a wrestler who believes sports is the key to world peace have
captured the fancy of voters wearied by the scandals of mainstream politicians.
Half the seats in the upper house of parliament are at stake this month, and
the dominant political party is working overtime trying to clean up its image
and raise its approval ratings by promising reforms.
Meanwhile, a variety of fringe parties are taking advantage of the
disenchantment with the governing Liberal Democratic Party and the law that
liberally allocates the airwaves to political campaigns.
Under the Public Office Election Law, any party producing 10 members who pay
$29,000 each as "guarantee money" can claim at least 14 minutes on the Japan
Broadcasting Corp. channel and additional radio time, reaching a potential
audience of 122 million.
The UFO Party, offering nine candidates, has qualified for four free
television appearances and two radio broadcasts. So has the Sports Peace Party
and the Slash-the-Number-of-Parliamentarians Party.
The Miscellaneous People's Party, which advocates gay rights, earned two
television appearances and one radio broadcast.
About 34 of the so-called mini-parties are supporting candidates in the July
23 elections for 126 seats in the upper house.
Although most candidates read their speeches on a staid blue-and-gray set
with a dull monotone and a deadpan look, some have mastered the medium of
television.
Haruzo Hanawa, 73-year-old head of the New Sun Party for the Extermination
of AIDs and Sexual Disease, sang a self-composed ditty. His song called for
legalizing prostitution, and he exhorted young people to develop sexual
morality.
Towering former wrestler Antonio Inoki of the Sports Peace Party told
voters: "Violence isn't necessary, but a leader should have a certain kind of
energy."
Inoki's platform stresses the achievement of world peace through
international sports exchanges. The ex-grappler is perhaps best known outside
Japan for his widely ridiculed exhibition match 13 years ago with former boxing
great Muhammad Ali.
The head of the Slash-the-Number-of-Parliamentarians Party, Kikuo Suda,
began his speech with, "Don't you think there are too many parliament members?
If we did it the way they do in the United States, we would have only 50
members in the (252-member) upper house."
The UFO party has spent its air time calling for a comprehensive policy to
deal with unidentified flying objects, announcing that the British ambassador
told them Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had a strong interest in the
subject.
The Japan Youth Association, an ultra-right group, was represented by
Toyohisa Eto, who argued against Japan's anti-war constitution and against
opening Japan's markets to farm exports.
The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, are struggling with the Recruit Co.
influence-peddling scandal that forced the resignation of former Prime Minister
Norobu Takeshita. His successor, Sousuke Uno, has been fending off allegations
about his relationship with a geisha and the fallout from a sales tax his party
backed that has angered consumers.
The Liberal Democrats, who have governed Japan for 34 years, are suffering
unprecedented disapproval ratings.
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