A mayor of a small town in Japan has become internet famous for his name, which is read as “Jo Baiden,” according to Japan Times.
The man, whose name is spell “Yutaka Umeda,” is the mayor of Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture. Umeda and his family were shocked to realize that his name gained a large amount of popularity online, according to the Japan Times. When asked about this, Yutaka said, “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.”
Since this recognition, Yutaka has been the recipient of a massive amount of messages. This increase is not only because of the name similarity but also due to Joe Biden’s projected presidential win in the United States.
Umeda hopes that this popularity does not stop. He said he feels that this occurrence will shine a light on the city itself. “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’d like to think of ways to promote the town.” (RELATED: Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Says The WHO Should Change Name To The China Health Organization)