Japanese politicians have been campaigning for more than a month since Taro Aso, the prime minister, called a general election for August 30. From Tuesday, they can now add a new line to their stump speeches: vote for me.

Under Japan’s restrictive and often bewildering election laws, candidates are banned from soliciting votes outside the official 12-day campaign. Although party leaders have already debated on television, none had been able to say straight out how voters should mark their ballots.