Japan Press Weekly

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2011 February 2 - 8 [ELECTION]

Successor of progressive administration elected as mayor in Iwate

Residents of Rikuzen-takata City chose to continue to support their people-oriented city administration. In the February 6 mayoral election of the city in Iwate Prefecture, a candidate endorsed by the 8-year progressive administration was elected, beating his counterpart backed by the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

Elected was Toba Futoshi, 46, supported by a residential association. He promised to carry on with the policies of the city administration led by former mayor Nakasato Nagato and continue to promote democratic policies, such as subsidizing the cost for residents’ house renovations, cutting national health insurance premiums, and improving local medical services.

Eight years ago, Toba led a local struggle against the construction of a thalassotherapy facility promoted by the then city government. The movement became a driving force in establishing the progressive administration. Toba became the vice mayor three years ago.

Placing importance on the election as a preliminary battle for the national simultaneous local elections in April, the DPJ Iwate prefectural branch sent its parliamentarians and prefectural assembly members to support its candidate Sugawara Kazutoshi, who was a DPJ representative in the prefectural assembly. Even former DPJ President Ozawa Ichiro came to Rikuzen-takata City to back the DPJ candidate.

During the election campaign, Sugawara’s camp criticized former mayor Nakasato, claiming that the city lost its vitality during his tenure because all he did was return debts.

Campaigners for Toba counter-argued that Nakasato successfully promoted local industries, welfare programs, and public works necessary for residents’ livelihoods because he reduced the debts left by his predecessor by 3.3 billion yen and reformulated the municipal finance. They introduced some of the programs Nakasato carried out, including the construction of 11 nursing-care facilities, which led to increasing many local job opportunities.

Many residents hoping to continue the administration policies set by the former city head participated in Toba’s election campaign.

One of the supporters, a 57-year-old woman engaged in fisheries, said, “When our aquaculture facilities were damaged by the tsunami generated by the earthquake in Chile last year, former Mayor Nakasato rushed to meet with us. I hope that Toba will have his vitality.”