Japan Press Weekly

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2017 September 27 - October 3 [POLITICS]

Citizens-opposition candidate defeats LDP-backed rival in Tokyo’s city mayoral race

A united candidate backed by a civil group and opposition parties won a major victory over a former Liberal Democratic Party assemblyperson in Tokyo’s Musashino City mayoral election on October 1.

Matsushita Reiko, 47, ran for the mayor of the 146,400-polulation city of Musashino in Tokyo with the support of the citizens’ organization which includes the Japanese Communist Party, the Democratic Party, the Seikatsusha Network, and independent assemblypersons. Receiving 65.58% of total votes, she was elected as the mayor for the first time.

During the election campaign, under the slogan “citizens are key players”, she appealed to voters by stating that she will introduce a school meal program in city-owned junior high schools, increase the number of authorized childcare centers, and bring down the number of children waiting to enter public daycare facilities to zero. She also promised to pursue city planning based on the Constitution and to declare a nuclear power-free city.