It was an era of nuclear brinkmanship, trade wars and decidedly iffy hairstyles. But in Japan the early 1980s is also remembered as the heyday of a chunky plastic puzzle that drove millions of children to distraction. A quarter of a century on the Rubik’s cube is being snapped up again, this time by nostalgic Japanese in their 30s and children who are apparently growing tired of complicated video games.

Junichiro Koizumi, Japan’s maverick Prime Minister, has a rival for the title of the great reformer in the shape of a self-made multimillionaire who describes this Sunday’s general election as a contest between old and new Japan. Takafumi Horie became a household name earlier this year after he launched an unsuccessful bid to gain control of Fujisankei, one of Japan’s most influential media groups.