Japan Press Weekly

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2018 April 25 - May 8 [JCP]

JCP gains 10 more seats in local assembly elections in April

In local assembly elections held in April, the Japanese Communist Party obtained a total of 142 seats in municipal and prefectural assemblies, up 10 from its pre-election strength of 132.

While the number of seats in those assemblies was reduced by 74 in total compared to the previous elections, the JCP’s share of seats went up from 7.7% to 8.2%.

During election campaigns, the JCP criticized the Abe government which is tainted with scandals such as the falsification of official documents, manipulation of government survey data, and sexual harassment by a top Finance Ministry official, and presented policies to protect people’s livelihoods, attracting support from a wide range of voters.

All JCP candidates won in assembly elections in four cities and two towns in Tochigi Prefecture and four cities and one town in Akita Prefecture. The party secured a seat each in by-elections in Tama City and Nerima Ward in Tokyo and Hokkaido’s Toyako Town. The number of seats contested in these by-elections was two, five, and three respectively.

In the Kyoto gubernatorial election, a JCP and citizens movement joint candidate faced off a bureaucrat-turned candidate backed by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties, garnering 44% of the total vote cast, the highest percentage in 40 years. In Shiga’s Omihachiman City mayoral election, a candidate backed by the JCP won by receiving twice as many votes as an incumbent rival supported by the LDP, Komei, and the Nippon Ishin no Kai party. A candidate endorsed by the JCP and other opposition parties was elected in Chiba’s Ichikawa City mayoral election.

Candidates who received assistance from JCP members won in mayoral elections in Osaka’s Toyonaka and Sennan cities. An “All Okinawa” candidate was elected in Okinawa’s Yonabaru Town mayoral election although another candidate just fell short of victory in the prefecture’s Okinawa City mayoral election.