Official campaigning for the Hiroshima gubernatorial election, to be held Nov. 10, began Thursday, with the incumbent and an independent challenger filing candidacy.
Hidehiko Yuzaki, 48, is seeking a second term with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, New Komeito, as well as the Democratic Party of Japan. The challenger is Osamu Onishi, a 47-year-old senior member of the Japanese Communist Party's Hiroshima chapter. Both candidates are running as independents.
The focus of the race is on the evaluation of Yuzaki's governance for the first term. Yuzaki is pledging to continue promoting employment and economic development in the region, while Onishi is placing importance on welfare programs.