JAPAN / Politics

Wins in Hokkaido, Oita lift ruling bloc's prospects

First wave of unified local elections bolsters Abe's nuclear, TPP hopes

Voters cast ballots for local elections in Osaka on Sunday. Governors, mayors and local assembly members across Japan will be chosen by voters in the first of two rounds of unified quadrennial local elections. | KYODO

Kyodo, Staff Report

Apr 13, 2015

The governors of Hokkaido and Oita won re-election to a fourth term Sunday as the first wave of the quadrennial unified elections produced victories for the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling bloc.

In Hokkaido, Gov. Harumi Takahashi, 61, ran as an independent and beat rival independent Noriyuki Sato, 65, a former television anchor backed by the Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties.

In Oita, Gov. Katsusada Hirose, 72, running as an independent, defeated Ban Kugimiya, 67, another independent and a former mayor of Oita who was effectively backed by the DPJ.

Wins in Hokkaido, Oita lift ruling bloc's prospects

First wave of unified local elections bolsters Abe's nuclear, TPP hopes

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