Japan Press Weekly

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2011 March 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

Major parties ‘voluntarily refrain’ from election campaign

On the first day of the simultaneous local elections on March 24, heads of major political parties except the Japanese Communist Party, in a move to “exercise self-restraint” in holding election campaigns, did not make public speeches.

While some media described this move as based on “thoughtful consideration of the people in the areas” devastated by the Great East Japan Disaster, Hokkaido Shimbun in its editorial on March 22 stated, “It will be grave if candidates’ position on issues do ill not reach the voters.”

The local paper in Hokkaido, one of the 12 prefectures where the gubernatorial election campaigns began on March 24, went on to say, “It is a matter of course to consider the disaster-hit areas. However, there are political issues that must be discussed at this very moment.”

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo, making a speech in support of Tokyo gubernatorial candidate Koike Akira in front of Shinjuku Station on the 24th, called for nationwide efforts to be made to give relief to the victims and provide assistance to reconstruct the disaster-stricken areas.

At a press conference in the Diet building later on that day, Shii said, “To not express election platforms publically is irresponsible,” and announced that the JCP will not join such an irresponsible move.

Prior to the election, the JCP proposed that all the simultaneous local elections throughout the nation be postponed. This proposal did not bear fruit as the Democratic, Liberal Democratic, and Komei parties insisted that the elections should be put off only in the three prefectures in the most devastated region.

A member of the ruling DPJ said, “If we are not running election campaigns, then why didn’t we postpone the elections in the first place?