Nine people are currently running in the Yokohama mayoral election, which is set for Aug. 22. But that’s not why the media has found it more interesting than any other regional poll in recent memory.

Yokohama falls within the constituency of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and one candidate, Hachiro Okonogi, is a long-time ally whose career as a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is closely related to that of Suga, who entered politics as an aide to Okonogi’s father, Hikosaburo Okonogi.

Hachiro Okonogi speaks as chairman of the National Public Safety Commission to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office in September of last year. | KYODO
Hachiro Okonogi speaks as chairman of the National Public Safety Commission to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office in September of last year. | KYODO