Australia edition
Brazil edition
Canada edition
France edition
Germany edition
India edition
Indonesia edition
Israel edition
Italy edition
Japan edition
Korea edition
Netherlands edition
Saudi Arabia edition
Spain edition
Switzerland edition
Taiwan edition
U.K. edition
U.S. edition
Ukraine edition
Vietnam editionIn the Yokohama mayoral election held on the 18th, Atsumi Harasawa (59), an independent newcomer and lawyer, won for the first time, beating six rivals including former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka (54) (Tokyo Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Kanagawa Shimbun). Harasawa had the endorsement of the local chapters of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People, and the support of the Komeito city assembly caucus (Tokyo Shimbun). Yamanaka had been found in a third-party investigation to have committed seven items of power harassment and resigned in September (Tokyo Shimbun). Atsushi Fukuyama, endorsed by Sanseito, was the runner-up (Asahi Shimbun, tvk). Turnout was 45.56%, up 3.92 points from the previous election (Kanagawa Shimbun).
The head of the nation’s largest designated city resigned after being found to have committed power harassment, and lost in a re-run election. It was an election in which a mayor’s conduct toward staff was put squarely to voters as a basis for judgment. While a candidate jointly backed by the ruling party and some opposition parties won, the fact that the Sanseito-endorsed candidate outpolled the former mayor also draws attention as a movement of urban votes.
For Yokohama residents, rebuilding the city hall organization and whether to continue or revisit the policies advanced under the former mayor become close-to-home issues. We want to check the policy direction Harasawa presents after taking office and the concrete measures against harassment of staff.
Kanagawa Shimbun reported that voters’ reaction to the power harassment issue was harsh. Some read the higher turnout compared with the previous election as a sign that more people went to the polls to show their judgment of the former mayor’s handling.
Mainichi Shimbun reported that Harasawa drew broad support from supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People, and from unaffiliated voters. It can also be seen as a victory backed by organizational support, in an election decided more by the lineup of backers than by the substance of policy.
What is settled is Harasawa’s first victory and the 45.56% turnout. The vote counts for each candidate differ from report to report, and the final figures need to be checked against the announcement of the city election administration commission. We want to see the first personnel decisions the new mayor puts forward and the substance of the harassment measures.
Tokyo Shimbun (10/18) · Mainichi Shimbun (10/18) · Kanagawa Shimbun (10/18) · Asahi Shimbun (10/18–19) · Jiji Press (10/18) · tvk (10/19) · Kyodo News (9/10, October)
Lawyer Atsumi Harasawa Wins Yokohama Mayoral Race for the First Time, Beating Six Rivals Including Former Mayor Yamanaka, Who Resigned Over Power Harassment
The re-run mayoral election was held on the 18th. Turnout was 45.56%, up 3.92 points from the previous election.
Former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka (54) resigned after being found to have subjected staff to power harassment. The Yokohama mayoral election to choose his successor was held on the 18th, and Atsumi Harasawa (59), an independent newcomer and lawyer, won for the first time, beating six rivals including Yamanaka, who ran again (Tokyo Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Kanagawa Shimbun). Seven candidates ran, and six of them, all but the Communist Party’s candidate, were independents (Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, distributed by Kyodo News). Harasawa had been endorsed by the local chapters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), and supported by the Komeito city assembly caucus (Tokyo Shimbun, Kyodo News). According to Tokyo Shimbun, Yamanaka had been found in a third-party investigation to have committed seven items, including “control of staff backed by personnel authority” and “remarks denying personal character,” and resigned in September. The Asahi Shimbun reported that Atsushi Fukuyama, endorsed by Sanseito, was certain to be the runner-up, ahead of Yamanaka and the others. In tvk’s vote-count flash, too, Fukuyama was second behind Harasawa.
According to Kanagawa Shimbun, turnout announced by the city election administration commission was 45.56%, up 3.92 points from the previous election. The paper reported that voters’ reaction to the power harassment issue was harsh and that Yamanaka was not re-elected. According to Mainichi Shimbun, after his defeat became certain Yamanaka said, “the citizens’ harsh response.” On learning that she was certain to win, Harasawa thanked her supporters, saying, “to me, who has no record of achievement,” and Jiji Press reported that she indicated she would get to work “right away.” In a Kyodo News telephone poll before the official start of the campaign, Harasawa held the advantage, with Yamanaka and Kazuma Nakatani, a former House of Representatives member backed by the Constitutional Democratic Party’s prefectural chapter, in pursuit. Mainichi Shimbun reported that Harasawa drew broad support from supporters of the LDP, Ishin and the DPP and from unaffiliated voters. According to Kyodo News, Harasawa is a female lawyer whom the LDP had been working to field; she replied that she would consider it “positively” when approached, and announced her candidacy on Sept. 10 (Akita Sakigake Shimpo, Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun).
An election in which a head of government who has resigned runs again himself to ask voters for their confidence.