Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka looked certain to win re-election Sunday as Kyodo News projections indicated he would defeat his two opponents, delivering yet another blow to the Democratic Party of Japan.

In Ehime Prefecture, meanwhile, former Matsuyama Mayor Tokihiro Nakamura was assured of winning a three-way race among newcomers to fill the vacancy left by Gov. Moriyuki Kato, who resigned.

Nisaka's victory in Wakayama will mark the ruling DPJ's third major poll loss since its drubbing in the House of Councilors election in July. The other two were the House of Representatives by-election for Hokkaido's No. 5 constituency and the Fukuoka mayoral election.

Nisaka, 60, was backed by the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party and the local chapter of New Komeito. Running against him were fellow independents Mariko Fujimoto, 56, a former prefectural assembly member backed by the DPJ and the People's New Party, and Yoshikazu Hora, 62.