Photo/Illutration A venue for the Liberal Democratic Party’s campaign speech meeting in the metaverse (Yuta Kayaba)

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Youth Division on June 5 hosted a campaign speech meeting in the metaverse on the internet, the first time for a political party to do so, according to the LDP.

Taro Kono, chairman of the LDP Public Relations Headquarters, and Karen Makishima, minister of the Digital Agency, joined the meeting as avatars.

“People say the Liberal Democratic Party is a conservative party, but we need to actively take in new things, too,” Kono said during the meeting.

The party said 500 people attended the meeting, which was the maximum the system allowed to have in attendance. 

Kono and others joined the meeting from a studio in Tokyo through wearing a sensor and virtual reality goggles.

The party’s campaign vehicle and candidates' banners were reproduced in 3-D. 

Party officials said it felt as if the meeting were real through reactions from the participants who virtually clapped hands and cheered using penlights.

Kono appeared to be initially confused, but he seemed to become accustomed to operating the system. He made his avatar jump and speak with gestures.

After the meeting, Kono told reporters that a metaverse meeting “is the best (campaign strategy) for the Upper House’s proportional-representation constituency because people can attend from around the country.”

Kono added that a metaverse meeting “can be fully utilized to explain policies.”

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