February 10, 2014
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2014 February 5 - 11 [TOKYO]
People-friendly Utsunomiya comes in 2nd after pro-nuclear Masuzoe in Tokyo gubernatorial election |
Utsunomiya, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, fought the race backed by the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Greens Japan. He received 982,594 votes or 20.2% of the vote, up from the 14.58% of votes received in the previous election in 2012. While the voter turnout fell by more than 16 percentage points, the number of votes cast for the ex-chief of the Japanese lawyers’ group increased by 13,634.
The voter turnout dropped by 16.46 percentage points to 46.14%, the third lowest in history.
In the election campaign, Utsunomiya called for a shift in Tokyo metropolitan government policies to give preference to people’s welfare and lives over large development projects. He also explained to voters the need to put a stop to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s runaway policies. As for energy policy, he promised he would work to help establish a zero-nuclear power Japan and to relieve victims of the Fukushima nuclear accident.
Various citizens, organizations, and the three parties worked together in seeking his victory during the election campaign. As a result, the human-rights lawyer gained support from non-affiliated voters and even from conservatives, moving up behind the first-place candidate.
After hearing the news reports on the election results, Utsunomiya held a press conference at his campaign office and said, “To have my election agenda implemented, I will continue to be involved in the movements to improve social welfare services, build a zero-nuclear power society, give support to the sufferers of the nuclear accident, and oppose constitutional revisions.”
Masuzoe, the winner, carried out his election campaign with the backing of the Liberal Democratic Party, which put pressure on the industry groups of interest and mobilized its Dietmembers and local assemblymembers. He said he will further ease regulations to defend the interests of large corporations and will maintain the policy of promoting large development projects as former governors Ishihara Shintaro and Inose Naoki had.
Like Utsunomiya, another candidate Hosokawa Morihiro, a former prime minister, spoke to Tokyoites about his anti-nuclear energy policy during the campaign. Regarding other important issues, however, he offered no clear policies. On the welfare program issue, for example, he said, “Whoever handles that service, it will be the same,” and ended up in the third place.
Results of other candidates:
- Masuzoe Yoichi, former labor and welfare minister, supported by Tokyo’s LDP and Komei, received 2,112,979 votes or 43.4% of the vote.
- Hosokawa Morihiro, former prime minister, assisted by the Democratic Party of Japan, the People’s Life Party, and the Yuinotoh, received 956,063 votes or 19.6% of the vote.
- Tamogami Toshio, former chief of staff of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, received 610,865 votes or 12.5% of the vote.
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JCP Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki on the same day at a press conference at the JCP head office said, “It is very regrettable Utsunomiya didn’t win, but the results he achieved show a lot of hope for a strong possibility to create a bright future.”
Yamashita said he felt that the call for a shift in the present Tokyo administration and the voice of opposition to Abe’s runaway policies was increasing among voters daily during the campaign.
Taking advantage of its position as the third largest party in strength in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly, the JCP will continue to work together with the residents of Tokyo to realize their demands. Regarding national politics, the party will further build cooperation with people to confront the Abe government by making counterproposals.
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