Japan's Edano makes leap from politician to Twitter trend

Anyone following events in Japan these last few days with more than a perfunctory effort to grasp the nuances beyond the headlines will have come across the name of one Tokyo politician more frequently than any other -- Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yukio Edano.

The 46-year-old DPJ heavyweight has been thrust to the fore as other members of the government have been seen to be somewhat lacking. Almost by accident, Edano has become both the face of the ruling regime and an internet meme in Japan.

Edano’s obvious stamina – he appeared to be on television almost constantly during the worst phases of the Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis and, allegedly, went almost five days without sleep -- have made him the talk of Twitter.

Among the first hashtags dedicated to “Japan’s Jack Bauer” were #edano_nero, which means “Edano, get to sleep” and #legend_of_edano -- that one’s fairly self-explanatory.

Concerned Tweeters have been voicing their fears for Edano burnout. One wrote, “We need you, so get some sleep for the sake of your health,” while others warned off aggressive journalists at live press conferences.

As if that weren’t enough, an enterprising fan has also set up an English-language Facebook page for the Tohoku University graduate. It appears nothing to do with the official Edano website, so we wonder how long before the man himself drops by to say hello. If he has time, that is.

With the appearance in response to the Edano flap of Twitter tags, such as #kan_okiro (“Wake up, Kan”), detailing the failings of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, even the mainstream Japanese media are pondering how long before the PM’s right-hand man steps up to the top job himself.

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