Manga fan Taro Aso, who as Japanese Foreign Minister founded the International Manga Award as a way to focus international attention on the Japanese comic industry (see “Japan Launches International Manga Award”), has been selected by the Liberal Democratic Party as Prime Minister.  He’ll be the third Prime Minister in the last year.

Aso has been widely expected to have a positive impact on the Japanese manga industry (see “Manga Promotor in Running for Prime Minister”).  Character goods wiith his likeness are even sold in Tokyo's Akihabara district, where otaku reign.