NAGOYA (Kyodo) Candidates started campaigning Sunday for the Feb. 6 Nagoya mayoral race triggered by Takashi Kawamura's resignation last month to test public opinion on his tax cut and other pledges that were rejected by the city assembly.
The poll in the nation's fourth-largest city is also seen as a bellwether for unified local elections nationwide in the spring. Nagoya voters will concurrently cast ballots for the Aichi gubernatorial election and a referendum on whether to dissolve the city assembly for elections.
Kawamura, 62, and three independents have filed for candidacy for the mayoral race. The three are former House of Representatives member Yoshihiro Ishida, 65, former House of Councilors member Hiroko Hatta, and former municipal assembly member Hitoshi Sugiyama, 54.