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2024 May 15 - 21 [POLITICS]

JCP-backed candidate defeats LDP-endorsed incumbent in Odawara City mayoral election

In the mayoral election held on May 19 in Odawara City in Kanagawa Prefecture, a candidate, Kato Ken’ichi, who received voluntary support from the Japanese Communist Party, defeated with a large margin his incumbent rival endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party, “Ishin no Kai” party, and the Democratic Party for the People.

Kato garnered 46,038 votes while the incumbent candidate, Moriya Teruhiko, obtained 25,528 votes. The voter turnout rate stood at 48.17%.

In the election campaign, Kato promised to implement measures to support people’s livelihoods, including introducing a free school lunch program and tackling the issue of youth poverty by such means as providing financial support for student loan repayments, which attracted voters’ support.