Miyazaki Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru was one of Japan's most visible personalities in 2007.
The 50-year-old, who went by the name Sonomanma Higashi as a comic, was elected governor of Miyazaki last January with the local dialect slogan of "dogenkasento ikan," or "something must be done" (about the prefecture).
The slogan won a grand prize in the annual buzzwords contest sponsored by Jiyu Kokumin Sha Publishing Co. in December. In a recently published book about how Japan can prosper, he said, "If Miyazaki becomes cheerful, the entire nation becomes cheerful.