January 24, 2017
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2017 January 18 - 24 [JCP]
LDP-turned-JCP candidate wins city assembly election |
In Shizuoka’s Kikugawa City Assembly election on January 22, with all 17 seats contested, JCP candidate Yokoyama Ryuichi, 64, won 12th place and secured the JCP’s current seat in the assembly.
Yokoyama, an ex-LDP member, had served as a Kikugawa City assemblyperson from 1998 to 2009. He belonged to the LDP group in the assembly, but he came to have misgivings about his colleagues who agreed with whatever the conservative mayor said. Then, opposing the LDP-promoted MOX project at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka, he left the ruling party.
In 2015, Yokoyama joined civic movements opposing the Abe government-sponsored war legislation and entered the JCP. He has since worked to facilitate cooperation between opposition parties and concerned citizens with the aim of putting an end to PM Abe’s runaway policies.
Responding to a request for Yokoyama to succeed a retiring JCP legislator, he decided to run in the city assembly election. Surprised by his decision, people around him said, “Why so you place yourself on the JCP ticket?”
In the election campaign, Yokoyama called for repealing the unconstitutional war legislation, decommissioning the Hamaoka NPP, and lowering national health insurance premiums. His call and campaign promises received support from many residents, including conservatives.
Receiving the news of his victory, Yokoyama said, “I’ll speak for local residents and work to change city politics into one giving top priority to residents’ lives.”
An 80-year-old man, Yokoyama’s relative, said, “Although I’m an independent voter, I read the JCP Program for the first time. It’s a bit difficult for me, but I felt the Program is representing the interests of the general public. I’ll support the JCP from now on.”
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