The charisma of former Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto lifted Osaka Ishin no Kai (meaning literally “Association for Osaka Reformation”), a local party led by him, to overwhelming victories in two elections Sunday.
Mr. Hashimoto trounced incumbent Osaka Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu in the Osaka mayoral election, and Mr. Ichiro Matsui, Mr. Hashimoto’s lieutenant, routed former Ikeda Mayor Kaoru Kurata in the prefectural gubernatorial election. The defeated candidates were supported by the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party.
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