National emergency or ramen? Who can tell?

Something I've always found quite strange in Japan is the vans that drive around with loud speakers yelling stuff at you.

The first time I ever heard it was not long after I arrived in the country. I was so freaked out. I leapt out of bed convinced that it was telling me there was about to be a typhoon or bomb or something and that I was meant to go to some place of safety. I stood out on the balcony waiting to see the hoards of people leaving their houses so I could follow them to the safe place, but no one seemed to be paying it any attention. People on the street just seemed to carry on walking or cycling and going about their daily business rather than rushing around in panic. I gradually realised there couldn't possibly be a national emergency or these people would look more worried about it. Later I asked a Japanese person who sold - 'Oh, they were probably just selling potatoes or something.'

Yes, the Japanese drive around in vans with loud speakers and sometimes music selling things to people. In fact there is a very catchy ramen tune that sticks in your head after you've heard it blared out on your street. And as for election time, at election time there are so many vans driving around waving flags and yelling at you that you actually start to get used to it.