November 06, 2008	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 7, 1429

OBAMA (Japan), Nov 5: With hula dancers, toasts of sake and rock ‘n’ roll, a Japanese town named Obama rejoiced on Wednesday as its accidental namesake was elected president of the United States.

An ocean away from America, this ancient fishing town of 32,000 people — Obama means “small shore” in Japanese — adopted Democrat Barack Obama as one of its own and put on a party to match.

Japanese who a year ago would hardly have followed the US election chanted Obama’s name and his slogan, “Yes, we can!” as he won the White House.

“His victory is good for us in Obama, but it’s good for other people as well. He will do lots of good things like ending the Iraq war and fixing the economic crisis,” said shopkeeper Yuichi Matsumoto, 69.

In tribute to Hawaii, Obama’s state of birth, more than a dozen residents in lei garlands and “I Love Obama” T-shirts danced the hula. They hope to go to Washington on Jan 20 for Obama’s inauguration.

“I’m so excited because Obama shares our town’s name. But even if the town was called McCain, I would still support Barack Obama,” said dancer Masayo Ishibashi, 44, wearing a Hawaiian skirt.

Also feting Obama was a local group called Anyone Brothers Band, who blared an electric guitar for a song with the English-language refrain “Obama is Beautiful World.” The band’s lead singer Akihiko Mukohama voiced admiration that the United States had elected its first non-white leader.

“Japan is one race so it’s difficult for us to understand racial discrimination. But the US consists of various races,” said the 34-year-old rocker, clad in a blue suit, shades and a white top-hat.

“I hope the world is changing.” Obama’s mayor, Kouji Matsuzaki, later led about 200 residents in toasts of cake and sweets decorated with the president-elect’s image.

Among those celebrating was the ambassador to Japan from Kenya, the birthplace of Obama’s father.

“Barack Obama is an inspiration to us in Kenya, to his fellow Americans, to the people of Obama and to the whole world,” Ambassador Dennis Awori said to cheers. A nationwide poll last month showed that an overwhelming 66 per cent of Japanese preferred Obama as president against 15 per cent for his rival John McCain, with the rest not voicing an opinion.

In Tokyo, Prime Minister Taro Aso congratulated Obama, saying he believed the United States “will continue to make significant advancements under the able leadership of president-elect Obama.” But there is no doubt the town of Obama also has ulterior motives for supporting the president-elect.

“All of the local people here think that Obama will come visit,” confided Tadao Ono, 67, as he watched the hula dancers.

Dozens of out-of-town journalists on Wednesday reported from Obama, which was best known a year ago for lacquer chopsticks and mackerel.

At least a dozen Americans also flocked to Obama. Virginia native Mark Edmundson, who travelled four hours from western Okayama prefecture, called it “a pilgrimage.” Obama is “someone who is that inspiring, he makes me step out of my

normal routine and visit a town I’ve never been to before just to reaffirm to myself that something will be different when I wake up tomorrow,” said the 34-year-old alternative energy researcher.

It was Obama himself who first drew attention to the connection. He told Japan’s TBS network in 2006 that when he flew into Japan, a startled passport control officer told him that he was from Obama. A local Buddhist monk, Shoryu Tamagawa, saw the footage and encouraged the mayor to send Obama a good-luck charm and a pair of chopsticks.

Tamagawa, wearing an Obama pin on his black robe, said that the senator and the town had more in common than just a name.

“Obama is about bringing together people of different races and Buddhism brings together different gods. We think the same.”—AFP