OSAKA — Voters in the Kansai region went to the polls Sunday with not only the pension scandal on their minds but also the growing disparity between rich and poor.

Twenty-seven candidates were vying for 10 seats in the six main prefectures that comprise the region — Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Shiga and Wakayama.

In Osaka, Shiga, Hyogo and Wakayama, local media polls over the past few weeks showed candidates backed by the ruling bloc enjoyed a comfortable lead.