Goshi Hosono, the handsome policy chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, is one of the few politicians who has retained his popularity despite predictions the party is headed for a crushing defeat in the Dec. 16 Lower House election.

Hosono is the main act in a recently recorded 10-minute video that is being used to kick off DPJ rallies across the country. His mission: To apologize.

"When I saw your manifesto for 2009, I thought the ideas were really great," an angry salaryman who only identified himself as Sugimoto said at a Nov. 10 rally in Osaka attended by Hosono and other lawmakers. "But now I must first say this: 'You're liars.' "