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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP in Ichinoseki City Assembly increases its share of seats in post-merger election

On October 9, Ichinoseki City in Iwate Prefecture held its first assembly election since a merger of seven municipalities including Ichinoseki, and all six Japanese Communist Party candidates were elected, increasing its share of the assembly seats from 8.87 percent to 14.63 percent due to a substantial cut in the number of assembly seats.

At issue in the election campaign were a pay raise for the mayor, two other high officials, and assembly members and an increase in national health insurance taxes resulting from the merger.

The JCP opposed both the pay raise and the increase in health insurance taxes. This stance of trying to protect citizens' living conditions attracted voter support. In one constituency, the chair of the JCP town assembly members group was elected with the second highest number of votes.

Ichinoseki has a population of about 130,000. -- Akahata, October 12, 2005