160307-0018 - MacArthur for President

A small crowd listens to Japanese contractor and politician Toshiyo Oda (小田俊与, 1907~?), standing next to signs supporting General Douglas MacArthur for US president, in March 1948 (Showa 23). He is orating near Nihon Gekijo (日本劇場) in Yuraku-cho (有楽町), Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, visible in the back.

In 1949 (Showa 24), Oda ran for office as an independent candidate from the first district of Tokyo. But he was disqualified just before the election when he was listed in a category of people purged from public office. This apparently did not discourage him as sources say that he ran for office over 500 times between 1945 (Showa 20) and 1965 (Showa 40).