Ayaka Otsu Finds Love While Facing an Extraordinary Life and Battling “Monsters”
How has Representative Uchino’s life changed after the turbulent Tokyo gubernatorial election?
I have been called on the street and told, “Good job. Also, I have been invited to more and more events. I’ve been invited to dinners, events, and even “Would you like to come to the pre-opening of the villa? and so on. I even worked as the manager of a yakiniku restaurant for a day. I guess I was slightly in the “influencer” category, wasn’t I? I get a lot of sudden offers, so I’m working like a celebrity. I’m sorry that I’m so busy that I can’t open the store much anymore.
The Tokyo gubernatorial election has done wonders for his publicity. Will he continue to live as a TV personality and influencer?
I think I will no longer be able to work as a full-time employee, although I have gained a lot of publicity from my political broadcasts. Also, my tax accountant said, ‘I want to terminate my contract. He said, ‘The staff at the office saw that political broadcast and decided it would be difficult to be involved any longer. I didn’t commit any crime. …… Isn’t it confidentiality to say whose tax accountant you are working for in the first place? I lost my tax accountant because of that political broadcast (laughs).
But I gained more. As well as name recognition, I met a lot of people. And worldwide encounters. The other day, a foreigner I don’t know contacted me and said, ‘Would you like to see a picture of my goat? I replied, “Yes, I would like to see them. I replied, “Yes, I would like to see them,” and he really did send me four pictures of his goats. They are called Howard and Todd Thomas (laughs). Also, we got a Chinese part-timer in the store. Just now, I also received a shout-out from someone in Spain. Thanks to the buzz.
As for the future, Uchino said, “I still want to enter politics.
I would like to run for political office somewhere in the 23 wards of Tokyo. I would like to run for ward assembly or metropolitan assembly. I haven’t been approached by any party yet (laughs). But this is the only time I’m taking off my clothes. That was my best work. I don’t do photogravure work either (laughs). During the Tokyo gubernatorial election, many people approached me during my street speeches. One girl said, “Airi-san gives me courage. Most of them were young people. They were all high school students and teenagers. I don’t have the right to vote, but I support you! I’m rooting for you! I’m running for governor of Tokyo again in four years, when they will be able to vote. （I don’t know.)
Shinji Ishimaru also gained name recognition in the Tokyo gubernatorial election and became a man of the hour. After giving a speech in Kamata, I was heading home via Tokyo Station when I heard an announcement that Ishimaru was about to give a speech, so I thought, “Since I’m here, I’ll go see what he has to say. I went to see what was going on, and was amazed at how different we were even though we were both candidates for governor of Tokyo. I was surprised that no one noticed me. I took a video of him giving his speech in the background and said, “The crowd is so excited! I took a video of his speech in the background, but even so, no one noticed me (laughs). I was impressed by his ability to stage a speech like it was a music festival. I also really like how confident he was. After the election, Ishimaru-san was beaten up, wasn’t he? That was because he was too hard on the interviewer. He may be too quick-witted, and the interaction with the interviewer may be irritating, but a politician is supposed to speak in a way that people who don’t understand understand can understand. A politician is a public figure, not a corporate bigwig or an artist. I think, “Ishimaru, you are so blue! I’m bluer than you! (laughs).
With the dramatic increase in the number of invitations he receives and the number of worldwide encounters he has had, he must be very content in his private life as well.
I get messages to death asking me to go on dates or have a drink with them. But I already have enough to do. Boyfriends? I don’t remember the first 10 (laughs).
The number of LINE subscribers has reached the upper limit of 5,000. He says he is currently waiting for his turn to join. She is sure to turn her scandals into a driving force, though she should be wary of trouble related to her love life.
