When at home, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Tsuyoshi Hoshino wouldn't dare let the hours pass without a humidifier on. The whole time the device is humming, he is also wearing a neck gaiter. Whenever he goes out, he makes sure his bag contains a constant supply of cough drops.
To understand why this junior legislator in the ruling party takes such painstaking care of his throat, look no further than what he's been tapped to do in the Diet over the past several months.
On a typical day, Hoshino stands up suddenly in the middle of a session, takes a deep breath and addresses Lower House speaker Tadamori Oshima by his title in a blaring voice.