Local opposition is growing to security bills that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to push through the Lower House next week, with 144 prefectural, municipal and town governments releasing statements condemning the legislation as of Friday.
Another 181 local governments have passed similar, nonbinding statements urging Abe to proceed cautiously. Only six cities have passed statements of support, and on Thursday, Nagasaki became the first prefecture to do so.
Local governments saying "no" include Iwate Prefecture and some major cities including Asahikawa in Hokkaido and Yamagata. The vast majority of opposition comes from cities, towns and villages, including Umaji, Kochi Prefecture, with a population of about 1,000, which is within Defense Minister Gen Nakatani's electoral district.