Japan Press Weekly

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2013 November 13 - 19 [JCP]

JCP wins in Okinawa’s Chatan Town by-election

A 34-year-old Japanese Communist Party candidate on November 17 won in the by-election in Okinawa’s Chatan Town which hosts the U.S. Kadena Air Base.

Combined with a previously secured seat in the town assembly, the number of JCP assemblypersons has become two for the first time in seven years.

In the by-election contest for one seat, JCP Miyasato Ayumi received 4,765 votes (42.73%) beating two conservative opponents.

She stated that she will work hard to meet townspeople’s demand for a base-free Chatan Town and will play a part in the progressive municipality of Chatan to improve programs so that working women and childrearing people can live without having to face increased anxieties.

Miyasato joined the JCP just a month ago and ran in the by-election because she wanted to work to stop the runaway policies of the Abe government such as constitutional revision, the enactment of a secrets protection law, and the imposition of a new U.S. base on Okinawa.

During the campaign, many voters came up to her and said, “You should work for our progressive town administration,” and “Thank you for running in the election.”