Sunday's mayoral election in the town of Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was won by Shigemi Kashiwabara, who supports plans to build a local nuclear power plant.

Kashiwabara, a 54-year-old former official of the town government, defeated 53-year-old Sadao Yamato, who opposes plans by Chugoku Electric Power Co. to build two reactors at the proposed plant.

The utility hopes the first reactor will be built in fiscal 2007 and put into operation in fiscal 2012; it hopes to construct the second reactor in fiscal 2015.

Sunday's victory means the town has elected a pronuclear power mayor for a seventh consecutive term.