Do you have dandruff? Bad breath? Are your socks smelly or your nose hairs in need of a trim?
Worried that female support for their party is lagging that for telegenic Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his ruling camp ahead of an election, Japan's main opposition party has compiled a 21-page booklet on how to woo women at the polls.
Besides the tips like those above, the guide also includes advice on smiling -- important, but avoid forced grins; shaking hands -- not too strong, not too limp; and how to sound sincere.
"The repeated message from women to politicians is: `I'm not saying you have to be flashy, but I'd like you to pay more attention to your clothes and appearance and act in a way that wouldn't be embarrassing, even if you go abroad,'" says the guide distributed to opposition Democratic Party candidates.
Much of the advice seems like common sense.
But a soggy support rate among women could be a real problem for the Democrats, now trying to oust Koizumi's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Nov. 9 general election.
The Democrats have been counting largely on their detailed policy manifesto to persuade voters they are the best choice to carry out vital reforms to fix Japan's long-stagnant economy.
"Opinion surveys have shown the Democrats' support is weak among women and they are trying to address that," said political analyst Atsuo Ito, a former Democratic Party official.
"They now think they can't do it with policy alone, so are trying to improve their image and performance," he added.
Some surveys suggest the problem may stem from the image and personality of Democratic leader Naoto Kan, a former grassroots activist who has spent most of his career battling the system.
The slender Koizumi, 61, with his mane of wavy, silver hair regularly beats the less flashy Kan, 57, in opinion polls, although voters and analysts say it's more a matter of charisma than looks. Female support for Kan lags even more.
Kan got his start in politics as a disciple of the late Japanese feminist Fusae Ichikawa and was once the darling of voters of both genders for exposing a scandal over HIV-tainted blood products during a nine-month stint as health minister.
Later reports that he had an extramarital affair, denied by Kan, tarnished his clean image, though some analysts say his tendency to appear stubborn has done more damage.
Kan himself seems at a loss to explain his lack of appeal to women voters.
Experts say it's debatable whether women are more likely than men to vote based on the candidates' looks.
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