Which do you prefer: the Japanese or U.S. way of conducting election campaigns?

Neither but the screaming trucks, yelling the cabidates name and onegaishimasu over and over and over again, are really really annoying.

Sillygirl nailed it! No need for further comments.

Cos, like, there are only two ways of doing it, an' all.

Which do you prefer, a screeching, indecipherable scream of idiotic nonsense in your left ear, or a screeching, indecipherable scream of idiotic nonsense in your right ear?

You might as well ask if we prefer burning at the stake to being drowned in a well. Both create roughly the same amount of unpleasantness and bad leadership even if they go at it by opposite means.

But yeah, let's ignore everyone else in the world. Everyone here is American, right?

At least the trucks are over quickly. The screaming and drama of the US election is relentless and has been going on for years, and it isn't even close to ending. It's only going to get worse.

Which do you prefer: the Japanese or U.S. way of conducting election campaigns?

I'll take the US way any day of the week, BECAUSE I can turn off the TV. I cannot drop my old and defunct washing machine out my window and onto the van to permanently silence the idiots downstairs, unfortunately.

At least in the US there are some party policies to discuss

What is the difference between the two? I cannot tell because I only know one.

I am not sure if making a speech in front of supporters who will definitely vote for the speaker is effective way to increase votes.

Neither, one is noisy the other way too long.

Neither. Both are a sham.

At least in the US there are some party policies to discuss

Exactly. Politics in Japan is about as exciting as watching wet paint. The politicians themselves are boring people lacking character, initiative and judgement. Heck, at least Obama even shoots trap and skeet with his shotgun every now and then.

Sure US politicians are liars, cheats, corrupt, soft, hard, and hypocritical. But character goes along way in this world.

TravelingSalesJUN. 27, 2016 - 11:37AM JST At least in the US there are some party policies to discuss

Are there? I mean, sure in the US you get ideologues ranting at each other about "small government" or "political correctness", but these terms don't actually mean anything. They're piffle designed to make people who don't understand what they're talking about feel like they're part of the conversation.

Wc626JUN. 27, 2016 - 12:05PM JST Exactly. Politics in Japan is about as exciting as watching wet paint.

Part of the reason US politicians are so dismal is that they are expected to be entertaining rather than effective. The current GOP front runner, for example, is very entertaining to watch make faces and throw water bottles around the stage to make fun of rivals' sweat, but either doesn't know or doesn't care that any of the policy positions he's bothered to explain are either unconstitutional or unworkable. But he's entertaining, so he rose to the top.

What does it say about the electorate when they think the purpose of their leaders is to entertain them, not to effectively run the government? Japanese politics has many things wrong with it, but being boring isn't one of them.

Wc626JUN. 27, 2016 - 12:05PM JST

Exactly. Politics in Japan is about as exciting as watching wet paint.

If LDP wins, the Constitution will be totally changed. If DPJ wins, the Constitution stays.

If LDP wins, nuclear power plants will start running one by one. If DPJ wins, they stay shut down.

If LDP wins, Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force will patrol South China Sea. If DPJ wins, they stay within Japanese territorial sea.

If LDP wins, Trans Pacific Partnership will be ratified. If DPJ wins, it will be turned down.

This much difference.

Congrats CH3. You know what's going on. Too bad many others do not. They will sheepishly vote LDP. It's no wonder they've been in power so long which illustrates my point. Japanese politics are about as exciting as watching wet paint dry.

Japan hates change. While other moder countries embrace it, for better or worse.

Japan is better because their election cycle is way shorter than in the US.

Wc626JUN. 27, 2016 - 01:24PM JST

Congrats CH3. You know what's going on. Too bad many others do not. They will sheepishly vote LDP.

Let us look at the facts. At the last Lower House election in 2014, in Tokyo proportional representation district, LDP got 1,847,986 votes out of 5,733,396 total votes, or 32%.

http://www.senkyo.metro.tokyo.jp/election/shuugiin-all/shuugiin-sokuhou2014/hirei-result/

Not everyone sheepishly votes for LDP.

Japan hates change. While other moder countries embrace it, for better or worse.

Conservatives hate change all over the world. You cannot say "modern countries embrace change" in the face of conservatives.

Cannot be compared. Every nation has its own unique style of campaigning for elections with the idea to reach out to the masses(voters).

Whatever works in US might never work in Japan and viceversa.

As an outsider I prefer US style of campaigning.

Based on the absolutely atrocious turnout rates in both countries, I'd say neither seem to impress the population too much.

The noise produced during elections in Japan is annoying, but won't last that long.

The noise produced in elections in the US, through loudspeakers or otherwise, lasts for at least 6 months and is big business. Is it business or politics? The process is unnecessarily time consuming and complex and robs the nation of a properly functioning administration.

Me? I utterly DESPISE both ways.

Conservatives hate change all over the world.

Lets talk about Japanese conservatives and conservative voters. Why won't they change article #9?

You cannot say "modern countries embrace change" in the face of conservatives.

. . . But I just did. Plus I said, "for better or worse" giving you some leeway in my ambiguity.

I prefer the method of voting directly for the top dog, but I don't support how American elections have been going at all. Nor do I like Japanese elections at all -- with the trucks that rival the bosozoku, candidates out screaming in public places when out of the cars, like around stations, and the fact that there is such poor representation in rural areas that you can ONLY vote for one party.

I dislike both but have a solution to fix it.

In both countries, only allow people to serve one term. Then they might actually try to do some good rather than worry about their next election, weekend trip to someplace other than the office and not buy too many pajamas for family and friends.

Which do you prefer: the Japanese or U.S. way of conducting election campaigns?

Not a great fan of either. But I strongly dislike speaker vans. Televised debates on the other hand are entertaining, and I haven't seen any in Japan. So the US style is better. Just.