TOKYO —

Prime Minister Taro Aso divulged his email habit in a rare casual interview on Thursday during his stumping tour for the Aug 30 general election, saying he gets encouragement and advice about his campaign speeches via email from his colleagues and family.
   
‘‘Yes, I do. I do it very often,’’ Aso said on a train as he made his way from Kagoshima Prefecture to neighboring Kumamoto Prefecture for campaign stumps, referring to his frequent email checks on his cell phone while on the move.
   
‘‘They are both critical and encouraging,’’ he said. ‘‘The messages from my family are about the content of my speeches. They are like, ‘Is this (speech) alright?’‘’
   
Aso, whose long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party is trailing the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan in opinion polls, said he is grateful for the messages of encouragement he receives from party colleagues.
   
‘‘I appreciate them,’’ he said, noting that they are often more to the point than what newspaper reporters say. ‘‘Some of them are critical, too. One message goes, ‘You spoke too fast. I couldn’t hear anything—you needed to speak more slowly because of the howling sounds.’‘’
   
Aso went on to extol the advantages of email, saying, ‘‘Doesn’t whether you can use this or not make a big difference in the speed, in the amount of information gathered?’‘
   
The prime minister, however, was less willing to show the messages when asked by a reporter. ‘‘No, I won’t show you,’’ he said.
   
Aso, who is running in the House of Representatives election for a constituency in Fukuoka Prefecture, is on a nationwide stumping tour, giving speeches for other LDP-endorsed candidates as party president.

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8 Comments

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  Scrote at 08:19 AM JST - 21st August

  "I couldn’t hear anything—you needed to speak more slowly because of the howling sounds"

  And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth as PM Aso took to the podium to address the crowd.

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  Apsara at 08:46 AM JST - 21st August

  "The howling sounds"? Does that mean feedback from the mike?

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  Statistician at 10:22 AM JST - 21st August

  he is grateful for the messages of encouragement he receives from party colleagues.

  I don't think he gets too many of those any more!

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  Mittsu at 12:58 PM JST - 21st August

  He probably sends and receives mail while walking along a crowded pavement or driving his car or in meetings.....

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  Farmboy at 01:40 PM JST - 21st August

  Aso went on to extol the advantages of email, saying, ‘‘Doesn’t whether you can use this or not make a big difference in the speed, in the amount of information gathered?’’

  I wouldn't know how to answer this.

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  gogogo at 05:51 PM JST - 21st August

  Get back to work Aso!

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  blvtzpk at 06:41 PM JST - 21st August

  Aso went on to extol the advantages of email, saying, ‘‘Doesn’t whether you can use this or not make a big difference in the speed, in the amount of information gathered?’’

  Answer this, cannot I. But speed factor. On the other hand, skills too. And size the finger. Think about this more we must. Thank you. Sorry for English poor.

• 

  guest at 01:13 PM JST - 22nd August

  I would vote for anyone that raises the minimum wage.

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