Japanese Mayor ‘Jo Baiden’ Congratulates President-Elect Joe Biden

November 10, 2020

A mayor in a small town in Japan has become internet famous for his name, which is pronounced as “Jo Baiden” in kanji (Chinese characters).

What’s in a name? Yutaka Umeda, 73, is the mayor of Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, which has a population of only 15,000 but has gained recognition on the internet after Joe Biden was projected to be the winner of the U.S. presidential election last week.

The mayor’s last name is read as “ume” and “da,” which mean “plum” and “rice field,” according to Kyodo News.
But the characters can also be read as “bai” and “den.”
The kanji character for his first name, Yutaka, is usually read as “jo.”

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Overnight viral sensation: Umeda and his family were surprised by the connection with the president-elect and the online popularity of his name.

“I feel very close to him. It feels as though I’ve also won the election after hearing about (Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s) projected win,” the mayor was quoted as saying.
Umeda congratulated Biden on the results of the 2020 election and hopes this recognition brings further attention to Yamato.
“Being the president of a superpower like the United States and a mayor of Yamato — the scale (of our jobs) is completely different, but I would like to think of ways to promote the town.”
Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga also congratulated Biden and Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris after the duo’s victory was announced on Saturday.

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Feature Image via ANNnewsCH, @dieworkwear (Overlay)

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