JCP-backed candidate beats LDP in Tokushima gubernatorial election

The Japanese Communist, Democratic, Social Democratic, and New Socialist parties' joining forces beat an alliance of the Liberal Democratic and Liberal parties in the Tokushima gubernatorial election on April 28.

Ota Tadashi, the candidate of a citizens' group, has become the first Tokushima governor to be backed by the JCP.

The election took place after the resignation of the former Tokushima governor who was arrested and indicted on suspicion of bribery over public works projects.

At issue was Tokushima prefectural citizens' desire to get a local government free of corruption.

Two more elections took place on the same day, amid growing public criticism of repeated bribery scandals over public works projects, misuses of taxpayers' money, adverse revision of the medical insurance system, and the wartime legislation.

In the by-election of the Upper House in Niigata Prefecture, a candidate supported by the ruling parties was defeated by a candidate backed by Democratic, Liberal, and Social Democratic parties.

In the Lower House by-election in Wakayama Prefecture, the LDP managed to defend its seat.

Commenting on these election results, JCP Acting Secretariat Head Fudesaka Hideyo said that Tokushima citizens showed their sound choice of policies that care for education and welfare services instead of providing for wasteful big development projects. It was good for the JCP to have contributed to electing the new governor together with the people, he said.

In Niigata, the number of votes for the LDP candidate was only half the votes for the LDP, Komei, and Conservative parties combined in last year's Upper House election, he said. The JCP candidate was not elected but obtained the largest number of votes ever cast for the JCP in the prefecture's elections, said the JCP acting secretariat head. In Wakayama the JCP candidate also increased its vote getting strength from last year, Fudesaka said. (end)