About 5,000 people gathered in Sapporo on May 23 to attend a convention of the national association of special post office chiefs, a longtime supporter of and the biggest vote-gathering machine for the Liberal Democratic Party.

"We profoundly appreciate the cooperation of postmasters in the House of Representatives election last November," said Fukushiro Nukaga, chief of the LDP policy affairs council, in a speech. "We ask for your further support for Kensei Hasegewa in the House of Councilors election in July."

Hasegawa, a former bureaucrat at the posts and telecommunications ministry, is an LDP candidate for the Upper House election expected to be held July 11. He is backed by the postal association.