MEET THE PANEL Name: Mikiko Maedomari Age: 28 Lives: Ishigaki, Okinawa Works: Teacher Voting intention: Undecided

My background is different to your average Japanese person. I live on a tiny island very far from the mainland of Japan.

We have a different culture down here, more influenced by China. We say that we are "Okinawan" rather than Japanese.

I think it's wrong to have a single issue election. But changes to the postal system could affect us.

There is one island here with only 40 people on it. The local post office is how these people get money, insurance, information and letters.

The post office couldn't run as a profitable private enterprise on such a small island. It needs to be under government control.

I am also opposed to changes in our educational system. In Ishigaki we have three school terms, but Koizumi wants to make it a two semester system.

Such changes won't work. We used to have half a day of school on Saturday but that was abolished because they said students spent too much time in study. Now, there are complaints that educational standards have dropped.

I think Koizumi will go ahead and do whatever he wants. I'm not sure this election will make much of a difference to Okinawans.