[Report] According to a report by Nikkei on the 15th, photos of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s hands covered in handwritten notes during his speech have recently gone viral on Japanese social media, sparking public discussion. Some netizens commented that “writing notes on one’s hands looks embarrassing,” while others believe it is acceptable to look at notes during a speech.
The widely circulated photos and videos are from a street speech held by Suga in Kagoshima Prefecture on the 7th, aimed at boosting support for the Liberal Democratic Party’s Senate election candidates. The content of Suga’s “notes” appears to be keywords from his speech. In the video, Suga frequently glances down at his hands, seemingly checking his notes. Some netizens have also uncovered old photos of similar scenes, suggesting that this is not the first time Suga has done so.
Suga’s actions have sparked controversy among Japanese netizens. Some say, “Writing notes on one’s hands looks embarrassing.” On the other hand, some argue that looking at notes during a speech is acceptable, but one wrote that if they really needed to take notes, it would be better to use paper or a tablet phone.
Nikkei reports that during the Senate election campaign, Suga has conducted multiple speeches across Japan, receiving high praise from some local audiences. Some listeners mentioned that they could see Suga had prepared thoroughly for his speeches. Others noted that Suga’s speeches leave a lasting impression of “speaking from the heart rather than just reading from a script.”