Candidate Wins Support in the East. No, Farther East.

A funny story about the town of Obama, Japan:

Just before the results of the big Feb. 5 round of primaries and caucuses reached this snow-covered fishing town hard by the Sea of Japan, a few of its most enterprising residents realized that a man who shared their town’s name could be America’s next president.

 

And so Obama sprang into action, its desire to escape the countryside’s anonymity interwoven with Senator Barack Obama’s run for the White House. A support group was formed. Primary day events were held. And “Go Obama!” posters were put up.

On Monday, as expectations ran high here that Mr. Obama would sweep Tuesday’s primaries in Wisconsin and Hawaii, Obama, population 32,000, was making plans to buttress its support. Businessmen were getting ready with “I love Obama” T-shirts, a theme song called “Obama Is a Wonderful World” and sweet bean cakes with Mr. Obama’s face on them. City Hall was going to send a daruma doll with “victory” written across its chest, a traditional good-luck charm in Japanese elections.

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Candidate Wins Support in the East. No, Farther East.

By NORIMITSU ONISHI

Published: February 19, 2008

www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/world/asia/19japan.html

OBAMA, Japan — Just before the results of the big Feb. 5 round of primaries and caucuses reached this snow-covered fishing town hard by the Sea of Japan, a few of its most enterprising residents realized that a man who shared their town’s name could be America’s next president.