Japan Press Weekly

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2013 November 20 - 26 [ELECTION]

Civic power rebuffs anti-people candidate in Kishiwada

People’s power on November 24 again rebuffed a Japan Restoration Party (JRP) candidate in the Kishiwada City mayoral election in Osaka, following the Sakai mayoral election in September.

Former speaker of the Kishiwada City Assembly Shigi Yoshinori won the race, backed by the Liberal Democratic and Democratic parties and a Rengo-affiliated local trade union. A local citizens’ organization in which the Japanese Communist Party plays a part voluntarily supported him.

Shigi’s opponent Harada Hideo called for the privatization of public services as was done by JRP Head Hashimoto Toru.

The civil group decided to reject the attempt to introduce JRP-style policies in Kishiwada City and worked together by overcoming the political boundaries to help Shigi win.

During the campaign, the JRP candidate tried to clear off the aftereffects of his party’s crushing defeat in the September mayoral race, but was soon exposed by the civil group as a candidate pushing for anti-people policies following the lead of Hashimoto.

The cornered Harada camp began unleashing anticommunist attacks in the final days of the campaign, calling on voters in vain, “Don’t choose Shigi because he has the JCP backing him.”

The JRP, led by Hashimoto, enjoyed an overwhelming victory in the Osaka gubernatorial and Osaka mayoral elections two years ago, but representative of the civic group Oomukai Muneo said, “The JRP is now on the edge of a cliff about to either jump off or be thrown off.”

“Following the Sakai election, the Kishiwada election also drew much public attention. I think our organization was able to achieve our aim,” Oomukai added.