 JCP-supported mayor elected in Tokyo In the Nishitokyo mayoral election on February 6, a candidate backed by the Japanese Communist Party and other opposition parties beat the incumbent mayor. Supported by the JCP, the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, and the Seikatsusha Net, Sakaguchi Koji got about 14,000 more votes than incumbent mayor Hoya Kohan who was backed by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties. The major issue was whether Nishitokyo residents should allow their city to continue to cut public services, including raising public utility charges, privatizing public facilities, and reducing welfare budgets. The JCP and Sakaguchi had concluded an agreement on election policies, including defending the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education as well as giving top priority to education, welfare, and local businesses in the process of financial reform. Nishitokyo became Tokyo's fifth city where the JCP is the ruling party. (end) |