April 24, 2018
All 77 Japanese Communist Party candidates won in regular local assembly elections held on April 22 in 32 cities as well as in 11 towns and villages, despite cuts in the number of assembly seats.
In the election in Saitama’s Kuki City, for example, 31 candidates, including four JCP candidates, competed for 27 seats in the city assembly, three fewer than the previous election four years ago. The four JCP candidates obtained more votes and vote share than the previous election, which led to their victories.
In the Tochigi City assembly race in Tochigi Prefecture, the JCP increased its number of seats to two while the total number of seats in the assembly decreased by four.
In PM Abe’s hometown of Yamaguchi Prefecture, the JCP secured its pre-election strength of two seats in the Hagi City Assembly where the number of seats were slashed by six from the previous election. In addition, in the election in the prefectural capital, Yamaguchi City, the JCP maintained its pre-election seats of three.
Meanwhile, in the elections in Tochigi’s Shimotsuke City and Hyogo’s Tatsuno City, the party succeeded in putting an end to its lack of presence in the city assemblies.
Amid growing public anger against the Abe Cabinet’s handling of a chain of allegations and scandals such as the two school-related scandals and the sexual harassment allegation involving a top finance bureaucrat, JCP candidates across Japan in their election campaigns stressed the need to deliver a severe verdict to the Abe administration and was able to attract voters’ support.
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On the same day, in the repeat mayoral election in Chiba’s Ichikawa City, Murakoshi Hirotami, a joint opposition candidate backed by concerned citizens and opposition parties, including the JCP, obtained 46,000 votes and defeated two conservative rivals. The initial mayoral election took place in November 2017, but none of the candidates obtained legally required minimum number of votes.
In the election in Saitama’s Kuki City, for example, 31 candidates, including four JCP candidates, competed for 27 seats in the city assembly, three fewer than the previous election four years ago. The four JCP candidates obtained more votes and vote share than the previous election, which led to their victories.
In the Tochigi City assembly race in Tochigi Prefecture, the JCP increased its number of seats to two while the total number of seats in the assembly decreased by four.
In PM Abe’s hometown of Yamaguchi Prefecture, the JCP secured its pre-election strength of two seats in the Hagi City Assembly where the number of seats were slashed by six from the previous election. In addition, in the election in the prefectural capital, Yamaguchi City, the JCP maintained its pre-election seats of three.
Meanwhile, in the elections in Tochigi’s Shimotsuke City and Hyogo’s Tatsuno City, the party succeeded in putting an end to its lack of presence in the city assemblies.
Amid growing public anger against the Abe Cabinet’s handling of a chain of allegations and scandals such as the two school-related scandals and the sexual harassment allegation involving a top finance bureaucrat, JCP candidates across Japan in their election campaigns stressed the need to deliver a severe verdict to the Abe administration and was able to attract voters’ support.
***
On the same day, in the repeat mayoral election in Chiba’s Ichikawa City, Murakoshi Hirotami, a joint opposition candidate backed by concerned citizens and opposition parties, including the JCP, obtained 46,000 votes and defeated two conservative rivals. The initial mayoral election took place in November 2017, but none of the candidates obtained legally required minimum number of votes.
