Japan Press Weekly

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2020 January 29 - February 4 [POLITICS]

JCP-backed candidate put up good fight in Kyoto City mayoral election

In the Kyoto City mayoral election on February 2, Fukuyama Kazuhito, a candidate backed by the Japanese Communist Party and the “Reiwa Shinsengumi” party, put up a good fight but was defeated by the incumbent rival supported by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties.

Fukuyama received 161,618 votes or 34.6 % of the total. The voter turnout rate stood at 40.7 %.

In the mayoral election campaign, the JCP and a wide range of concerned citizens stepped up their joint efforts which started in the 2018 Kyoto gubernatorial election. They jointly chose the mayoral candidate and drew up the election platform after thorough discussion. Among political parties that have seats in the Diet, the Reiwa party became the second to back Fukuyama’s campaign following the JCP. Fukuyama was also supported by the prefectural bodies of the New Socialist Party of Japan and a party named “Greens Japan”, both of which do not as of yet have elected parliamentarians.

Commenting on the election results, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira said to the press that Fukuyama fought a great election campaign, expressing his gratitude to those who worked hard for a victory in the election and who voted for Fukuyama.

Koike pointed out that the opposition parties-concerned citizens block did the best job in selecting the candidate, drawing up election promises, and promoting mutual cooperation. He stressed that based on ideas put forward by citizens, Fukuyama proposed a policy package aimed at assisting people’s livelihoods. This indicates, Koike continued to say, how deeply Fukuyama’s campaign was oriented to the needs of ordinary citizens.

Koike said that the JCP will work hard to implement Fukuyama’s proposals.