Incumbent, 2 challengers run in Shiga gubernatorial election.
TOKYO, June 15 KyodoCampaigning for the July 2 Shiga gubernatorial election got under way Thursday, with incumbent Gov. Yoshitsugu Kunimatsu and two challengers filing their candidacies.
Kunimatsu, 68, who is seeking his third four-year term with support from major parties and organized voters, is challenged by Kyoto Seika University professor Yukiko Kada, 56, and labor union leader Yoshinori Tsuji, 59, who are critical of his eight years in office.
While Kunimatsu is promoting big public works projects such as the construction of a new station for the Shinkansen bullet train, the other candidates are committed to freezing or scrapping the plan because of local debts totaling around 1 trillion yen.
Kunimatsu has the backing of more than 200 organizations, including the local chapter of a labor union group supporting the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, as well as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner, the New Komeito party, and the DPJ.
Kada is supported by the small opposition Social Democratic Party and Tsuji by the Japanese Communist Party.
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| Publication: | Japan Policy & Politics |
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| Date: | Jun 19, 2006 |
| Words: | 172 |
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