If foreign nationals were permitted to select US presidential candidates, the senator from Illinois would be assured of the votes of the people of Obama, a fishing town on the Japan Sea coast that has taken its namesake to its heart.

Residents in Obama - small port in Japanese - have formed a support group whose members are monitoring every twist and turn in his bid to become the Democratic candidate.

As the race for the nomination heated up, the town's tourism office received a stream of calls from locals wishing Obama well. On Super Tuesday, supporters nervously clutched photos of Obama as they watched the results come in at their makeshift headquarters in a hotel, whose lobby is currently home to a large portrait of the candidate.

Obama's most ardent fans, who include a hotel executive and a couple of farmers, believe their campaign, like that of their hero, is gathering momentum. With his name recognition at an all-time high, they plan to produce hachimaki "victory" headbands - a common campaign accoutrement in Japan - themed lacquerware chopsticks, and manju sweet buns bearing his name and face.

"I think our support base will keep growing", Seiji Fujihara, the group's secretary general, told ABC News. "We wanted to do something because Mr Obama doesn't feel like a stranger to us. He's like a relative to us."

Residents started taking a close interest in Obama's political career in 2006 after a customs official claimed on TV that the senator had joked about his "Japanese origins" on arrival at Narita airport.

The town's mayor, grateful for the free publicity, sent Obama a personal letter of thanks, a set of chopsticks and a tourist brochure.

The Narita exchange could be apocryphal, but the people of Obama, previously known only for its seafood and Chinese-influenced architecture, are grateful all the same.