Political newcomers, including wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo's granddaughter, a former TV Asahi newscaster and a hemophiliac with HIV, hit the Tokyo campaign trail Thursday, vying to represent voters in the House of Councilors.
People said they were interested in hearing candidates for the July 29 Upper House election speak on a range of issues, but the pension record-keeping debacle was high on everyone's list.
Independent candidate Ryuhei Kawada, 31, who was infected with HIV from tainted blood products, addressed voters at 11 a.m. in front of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry building in Chiyoda Ward.