He once mentioned his favorite brand of ice cream on a television program and sales in Tokyo went crazy. Not bad for a man who is neither film star, pop idol nor David Beckham.
When Shinzo Abe, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, recently returned to his hometown of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, hundreds of locals, young and old, excitedly turned out to greet him.
As No. 2 leader of the ruling party, Abe is spearheading its campaign for the Nov. 9 Lower House general election.
Many pundits believe the LDP's success will largely depend on his appearances, which often draw more attention than those of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, president of the party.