What's in a name?
The Lower House by-election in Kyoto on Sunday showed that, when it comes to political parties, what you call yourself does matter. Especially if your party's name is that of a historic rival city voters and residents have traditionally disdained.
The poll to replace disgraced Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kensuke Miyazaki in Kyoto's No. 3 district after he was forced to resign when extramarital affairs came to light, offered Osaka Ishin no Kai a chance to try to grow its Osaka base outside the city and prefecture. To this end, the party backed Natsue Mori, 34. She ran against Kenta Izumi, 41, who had the support of the Democratic Party.